Wed, May 14 03:38 PM
Bangladesh's media organisations have asked the military-backed government to stop "interfering" in their functioning while demanding the withdrawal of the state of emergency imposed in 2007.
"Different military and non-military agencies of the government are interfering with day-to-day activities of the media. Such interference is unacceptable," said a statement issued at the end of a two-day meeting of print and electronic media editors and journalists.
"Media organisations have been forced to work under pressure, limited freedom and an atmosphere of fear - thanks to the promulgation of the state of emergency on January 11, 2007," it said on Tuesday.
The meet decided to constitute a committee to continue with efforts to overcome the "situation" and ensure freedom of the media.
"No matter how we yearn for the freedom of the press, the media does not enjoy freedom under the emergency rules," said the statement, signed by prominent journalist and advisory editor of Amar Desh newspaper Ataus Samad.
The statement came two days after the interim government chief Fakhruddin Ahmed in a nationwide televised speech said the emergency rules would be suspended or eased "at appropriate times" to facilitate polls preparedness and campaigns by the political parties as the elections were planned for December 2008.
The current interim government installed with crucial
military support on January 12, 2007, enacted Emergency Power
Rules (EPR) authorising certain government agencies to impose
press censorships or issue "advices" for the media.
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