Bangladesh’s interim government on Sunday issued a stern warning to media organisations, stating that they would be shut down if they publish or broadcast false or misleading news, in a move aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation.

“A nation falters when the media does not uphold the truth,” the interim government’s home affairs adviser, Brigadier General M. Sakhawat Hossain (retired), said during his visit to injured policemen at Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital.

He warned that the media outlets would face closure if they provided misleading news, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

Criticising the media for not presenting the truth, Hossain said: “A country deteriorates when the media fails to report honestly.” He argued that had the media accurately reported events, the current situation involving the police might have been avoided.

“There is a lack of substantive discussion on talk
shows, and the media fails to provide accurate information,” he said.

Nahid Islam, adviser for posts, telecommunications, and information technology, said action will be taken against officials involved in the Internet shutdown during the recent student protests.

Talking to journalists on the first day of joining his office at the Secretariat on Sunday, Nahid emphasised that those responsible for the Internet shutdown during the protests will face consequences, the Daily Star newspaper reported.

He said access to the Internet is a right and disrupting or shutting it down is a violation of human rights. Nahid asserted that the indiscriminate Internet shutdowns will no longer be tolerated.

Bangladesh witnessed frequent Internet shutdowns during the recent protests against the Hasina government.

The information and communication technology division plans to incorporate youth participation to fulfil the aspirations of the younger generation, Nahid said.

New chief justice

Syed Refaat Ahmed was sworn in as Bangladesh’s new chief justice on Sunday, a day after Obaidul Hassan stepped down as the top judge following an ultimatum by the protesters demanding a revamp of the judiciary.

Hassan and five other judges of the apex Appellate Division on Saturday tendered their resignation, five days after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s regime. Hassan’s resignation came as protesters of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement gathered at the apex court premises. The students had issued an ultimatum to him and the judges of the Appellate Division to resign by 1pm.

Ahmed took oath as the new chief justice during a ceremony at the Darbar Hall of the president’s official residence around 12.45pm local time, the Daily Star newspaper reported.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to the chief justice. The oath-taking ceremony was conducted by cabinet secretary Mahbub Hossain, the report said.

Prof Muhammad Yunus, who was sworn in on Thursday as the head of an interim government, also attended the event.