A new regulation proposal from the information ministry excludes any mention of an autonomous media commission suggested by the Media Reform Commission. The Commission had developed two laws, the Bangladesh Media Commission Ordinance, 2025, and the Journalism Rights Protection Ordinance, 2025, which detailed the establishment and functions of the independent media commission.
The Media Reform Commission recommended merging the existing Press Council and the proposed Broadcast Commission into a unified and independent oversight body called the Bangladesh Media Commission. This new institution was envisioned to operate independently from government influence, ensure accountability through self-regulation following global standards, and sustain itself financially using a small portion of media revenues, akin to the model in India.
The proposed independent media commission would be responsible for restricting individuals with criminal convictions and loan defaults from owning or managing media entities. It would also supervise the development and implementation of ethical standards for journalists, set minimum educational prerequisites for entering the profession, maintain a national database of active journalists, and regulate licenses for broadcast and online media platforms.
Presently, media licenses are controlled solely by the information ministry, granting it complete authority over media possession. The Media Reform Commission suggested abolishing the current Press Council and establishing an independent commission to address the numerous challenges facing the media sector and safeguard journalists from being misused for political purposes.
The proposed independent media commission would address complaints from journalists facing obstacles in performing their duties, mediate disputes, and pursue legal action in criminal cases on behalf of journalists. However, the initial ordinance prepared by the information ministry, as reviewed by The Daily Star, did not include these recommendations.
A senior official from the information ministry mentioned that the establishment of the independent commission is still under discussion with concerned parties, and the draft ordinance is in the early stages of development. The ministry’s draft also excluded critical clauses from the Commission’s proposal aimed at protecting journalists’ rights.
Among these provisions, one guaranteed journalists’ privacy rights and prevented unauthorized entry into their homes and unlawful seizure of their belongings. The draft also eliminated a clause that suggested a Tk 1 lakh fine and a five-year prison sentence for assaulting or harassing journalists, replacing it with reference to relevant sections of the Penal Code.
Furthermore, a provision ensuring government protection of journalists from violence, coercion, or intimidation by individuals, institutions, or state entities was also omitted in the draft. When approached by The Daily Star, Additional Secretary Dr. Mohammad Altaf-Ul-Alam stated that no final decisions have been made yet and declined to provide further details.