British High Commissioner Meets Bangladesh Information Minister
British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke met with Minister of Information and Broadcasting Andaleeve Rahman MP at his office on Monday (October 5). State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Chowdhury MP was also present.
High Commissioner Ms. Cooke congratulated the Information Minister on assuming his new responsibilities.
During the meeting, Mr. Rahman emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring press freedom, stating that there is no intention to control the media.
He highlighted the importance of protecting the public from misinformation and disinformation while safeguarding freedom of expression, stressing the need for measures against defamatory and misleading content across media platforms.
State Minister Yasser Khan Chowdhury noted that protecting public rights must be balanced alongside media freedom, adding that the government regularly engages with relevant stakeholders on these matters.
He also mentioned government initiatives to ensure financial security for journalists, calling on media owners to play a responsible role.
High Commissioner Cooke underscored the importance of maintaining ethical standards in journalism and the critical role of fact-checking in combating misinformation. She suggested potential collaboration between the UK’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The discussion also covered mutual interests, including addressing social media challenges, ensuring accuracy of information, and promoting responsible journalism practices.
