Fr ee Media : Peace

Democr acy & Human

Rights
Country Presentation
Bangladesh

Ataur Rahman
Programme Coordinator, BMSF
While the country was
born
 Of the fourteen genocides committed in the
last century, the mass killing that took place in
Bangladesh on March 25, 1971, designed by
the Pakistani occupation forces was the most
heinous.
 The people of Bangladesh revolted against
the occupation forces to protect themselves
from the inhuman torture and oppression
inflicted on them by the Pakistani troop’s .
 After a nine month long freedom fighting the
country achieved its independence in the cost
of 3 million lives.
Presenting Bangladesh
 Basic facts
 Area (Sq. Km) : 147570
 Population : 140.6 million
 Growth Rate : 1.41%
 Density/Sq. Km : 953
 Life Expectancy : 64.5 yrs.
 Birth Rate : 20.6 (per 1000)
 Death Rate : 5.6 (per 1000)
 Literacy Rate : 52.5
 Ethnic groups : Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims.
 Religions : Muslim 88.3%; Hindu 10.5%; Christian 0.3%,
Buddhist 0.6%, others 0.3%.
 Languages : Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English.
 Mass media : Journalists: 8,500, Newspapers 2175, Agencies - 5
Television -11, Radio – 4
 Work force : 49.5 million
About BMSF

 Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum -

BMSF (Bangladesh Human Rights Journalists
Forum), was formed in January 10, 1991 with
the objective to mobilize the journalists, those
working in the national and local print as well
as electronic media to ensure an effective role
play in the process of human rights protection
and the national development activities.
About BMSF

 An environment, free of Human Rights

Violation against Men, Women and
Children, that ensures Drugs and
HIV/AIDS free society and strengthens
the democratic institutions and good
governance in Bangladesh is the vision
of BMSF.
Freedom of expression

 Freedom of expression is therefore an

internationally recognized right, which is
declared as essential in Article 19 the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The freedom of Expression has a new
dimension today as the wave of
democracy is sweeping the world.
Freedom of expression
 Press freedom cannot, generally speaking, be
achieved in isolation.
 It requires the combined and collaborative
efforts of multiple actors:
 Journalists and their organizations,
 media owners,
 political power-holders,
 community leaders and
 ordinary people.
Freedom of expression
 Cross-border alliances and exchanges of ideas are
equally significant in shaping broader ideas about the
meaning of press freedom and its value in promoting and
reflecting democratic processes that benefit all people.
Even where there is no prior restraint on the:

 Exercise of the right to free speech,

 a hostile environment often compels the media to engage in self-
censorship rather than risk retribution.
 Access to information also ensures individual rights and personal
dignity.
Role of Media in
democracy
 the role of the media in democracy can only be
performed in a free society without any overt
and covert influences, both external and
internal.

 This role is to disseminate needed information

to the people, so that they may be well-
informed and equipped to discharge their
obligations in a democratic society.
Role of Media in
democracy
 Monopoly of the media, either by the government
or private individuals or institutions, is considered
a threat to democracy.
 The people, being the rulers in democracy,
should be the masters of information of both
private and public activities.
 For free media to operate, a secured atmosphere
for its free play is needed which is not
guaranteed alone by the laws of the country.
To concentrate on South
Asia
 Human rights problems in each country
have usually been treated as an internal
matter.
 However, it takes only a quick survey of
the South Asian region to see that there
are many human rights issues that would
benefit from mutual engagement and
agreement.
To concentrate on South
Asia
 Apart from other serious human rights problems,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka are also
dealing with situations related to armed conflicts and
insurgencies.
 Nepal, with its numerous human rights problems, has
only just emerged from a violent conflict that claimed
over 13,000 lives,
 Bangladesh has witnessed increased militancy and the
caretaker government has detained tens of thousands,
often ignoring basic due process, in its efforts to
combat corruption and crime.
 Bhutan continues to discriminate against citizens of
Nepali origin. In the Maldives, there are serious curbs
on political freedom.
To concentrate on South
Asia
 Regional security and economic progress
cannot be achieved unless every citizen is
provided with a secure environment to enjoy
their civil, political, economic, social and
cultural rights.
 This is especially true for groups historically
discriminated against, like women and children.
Half of the world’s poor live in this region.
 Policies and laws to help them will be useless
unless effectively implemented.
The outcomes
 All barrier is the ways of freedom and democracy are
appropriately broken in such Environment people urge
for freedom is greater people are always expecting more
freedom of press, freedom of movement, freedom of
religions ,and cultural freedom all over the world.
 The new democratic environment has created an
opportunity to reassert Media’s Right and Freedom but
that must be within certain ethics and responsibilities.
 It is true that the press is not full free because beside the
black laws that are so many restriction in our society that
have been infringing freedom of the press.
The outcomes

 Freedom of Press right to know, freedom of speech and access

to the information are the hallmark of an undiluted democracy.
Needing freedom, democracy and good governance are as
undiluted as the human rights. So a free Media is essential for
building a society with moral, ethical and democratic values that
impact of society.

 The information is general and the Media is particular, can also

be decisive by tipping the social and political palace on issues
of authoritarianism and democracy. Autocracy and theocracy,
development and parasitic consumption war and peace.
Conflict prevention, conflict resolution and reconciliation are
post conflict situation.

 If the media can function freely in democratic atmosphere, the

society is benefited and civilization a boost from such freedom
with all human rights.
Thank You