Government Acts on None of the Media Reform Commission’s 100+ Proposals, Kamal Ahmed Claims

None of the proposals submitted by the Media Reform Commission have been implemented so far, nor has the government taken any visible initiative to act on its recommendations, said Media Reform Commission Chief Kamal Ahmed on Saturday (14 December).

Speaking at the inauguration of the Bangladesh Reform Tracker, organised by the Citizens Platform for SDGs Bangladesh at the China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Center, Kamal Ahmed said the commission had placed more than 100 reform recommendations before the government, but not a single one had been accepted or put into practice.

He identified bureaucratic resistance and a lack of political commitment as the primary barriers to meaningful media reform.

Kamal stated that the commission encountered repeated obstacles in obtaining information from government offices, despite a gazette notification that instructed all ministries and departments to cooperate with the commission.

He further revealed that several sections of the commission’s report were withheld from publication on grounds of confidentiality, including details regarding the process of issuing television licences.

Criticising the government further, Kamal said the proposed Journalism Protection Act was dropped without any clear explanation, even though the commission had drafted the law to facilitate its implementation.

He also noted that the government rejected the proposal to establish a permanent and independent Media Commission and instead opted to restructure the existing Press Council, which he described as ineffective and overly dependent on the government.

Kamal warned that journalists remain extremely vulnerable, particularly in the period leading up to elections, and said the government would be held responsible for any attacks on journalists, as none of the commission’s recommended reforms have been enacted.

He urged the government to take visible and concrete steps within the next two months to safeguard press freedom and ensure the safety of journalists, stressing that while the opportunity for reform still exists, it is rapidly diminishing.