Veteran and very successful editor Naimul Islam Khan had this to tell about his colleague Bangladeshi journalist in his regular column named exactly as this title at daily Amader Shomoy.
The reason I am posting it here because I endorse in its entirety. I already discussed about the irresponsible activist journalism in Bangladesh in my several previous posts.
In addition to that the cheap childlish tone of ”gotta’, or take a kick of revenge at those who are in hole as result of the current state of political turnover is very much prevelant among our newsmen lately.
Rajshahi Mayor Minu and Daily Prothom alo do not have the friendliest of relationship to start with.
In the past this daily was snubbed by the court for publishing stories on Minu which later turned false. So as Minu got arrested yesterday, Prothom-Alo could not hide their joy. They just published a first page 3 column report on Minu. When the reporter was Tipu Sultan, I expected a better reporting. The use of derogatory language, unsubstantiated allegations, truncated unfair use of Minu’s wife’s interview were definitely not upto the reporting standard we expect from Tipu Sultan.
Then the Laptop story involving Joy, Tasneem etc. which was published in Manabjamin’s weekly Janatar Chokh. In that sory my fellow activists and bloggers Asif and Naeem were wrongly implicated in a sinister way. When a protest note was sent the editor point blank refused to publish it and was not at all apologetic.
We are all hoping that 1/11 cleanse our political mess, but I do not know what will help the nation come out of this journalistic mess.
Update #1. AL leader Mr Obaidul Quader was produced in the court tpday. In the court, under oath, he denied making any statement about the 12 death in bus burning case. A weeping Obaidul Quader was very bold in his statement dismissing all the quotes attributed to him as false.
And no surprise, the newsppapers, including Prothom-Alo, didn’t bother to give this news any treatment comparable to the treatment given to the alleged reports quoting him about all the misdeeds of Sheikh Hasina.
In the Middle of Nowhere 
June 10, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Rumi Bahi I am glad you are shedding light on shady and often “thunko” Journalism. I had been pointing these biased and fabricated reporting specially by DS and PA for some time now but often people don’t make effort to verify and understand news and motivation on broad schema of things.
Yesterday DS published a story about Warid telecom and how money was distributed. On that story DS questioned how license fee Warid paid was less. What DS miserably failed to mention were:
1) Warid was first wireless operator among 6 others, paid any money ($50 million or 350 core taka) to GOB. Grameen the largest operator with revenue in millions paid zero taka.
2) Because of Warid was able to get license, Dhabi group would (have made significant investment already) invest $1 billion in Bangladesh.
3) For $1 billion dollars investment $10 million dollars commission as in many lobbying farm would call in western country (but would label as corruption in case of Bangladesh).
Latest look of dismal picture of published reports or non published one, it is more evident that our journalists are more motivated by personal financial gains (putting it mildly) and pat on the back from white man (be that white man with business dhunda or white man carry A national flag on their car). Many examples can be cited but let that be part of another day of writing. My point is our media or whatever left of it acting more like NGO. Foreign influences are in driver seat for stories rather than obligation to society, country and pledge of truth and professionalism once these journalists took.