Minister warned DC against unregistered online IPTV YouTube channels

The Minister of Information and Broadcasting has warned District Administrators (DCs) against unregistered online, IPTV and YouTube channels at district level. Hassan Mahmud.

The Minister of Information ordered CDs to take immediate measures and actions to prevent the spread of rumors and misinformation on unregistered portals and social media.

The Minister took questions from reporters after delivering a speech and an exchange of views on the closing day of the three-day Conference of Deputy Commissioners at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Thursday afternoon. Secretary for Information and Dissemination. Maryland Humayun Kabir Khondkar was present at the time.

The Minister of Information said: “So far, 162 news online portals, 169 daily newspapers online portals, 15 TV online portals and 14 IPTVs have been registered, which has been informed to district administrators”. All others are unregistered.

He said: “There are many online portals, IPTV channels and YouTube at the district level, which are not registered and those who work there again present themselves as journalists and often spread rumors, disinformation and misinformation through them. It’s a big challenge.

Dr. Hasan said, “If it is seen on the unregistered portal that someone is spreading confusion or rumors or trying to create chaos in the society by reporting false or incorrect news or reporting news about someone’s personal belongings and it is being used as a weapon for another purpose, the administration will immediately report the truthful information.The district commissioners have been advised to inform the ministry’s rumor prevention cell to serve and take action against them.

Highlighting the real context, the Broadcasting Minister said: “The rumors spread within hours and it takes days to act on it. Because there is a process, you have to report it to BTRC and right now to avoid rumors, it is said on social media that it is a rumor and in fact it is the truth. Then the process of action against them.

Awami League Joint Secretary General Hasan Mahmud said, “The government is working with the administration. The political part and the administrative part of government are inextricably linked and must work together. The government will implement its programs through the administration. Our government has in no way supported the administration and we have no intention of doing so.

The Minister said: “Today those who became DCs or Divisional Commissioners or those who became Secretaries were assigned on the basis of merit through the SSB and following other processes. So we never made the administration a party, but earlier when the BNP was in power in the days of Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda Zia, Sattar Saheb, the administration became a party.

Hashan Mahmud said in response to the question on the election, “There was no discussion here today about the election.” Because the government does not organize elections. The organization organizing the election is the Electoral Commission. The election commission will give all instructions regarding the election to the district administration. This is not our subject.

Further, the Minister said that the District Commissioners have been asked to inform everyone on the ground that the special loan fund of Tk 1000 crore has been established for reconstruction, reopening, modernization and construction of new movie theater. He also said, “There was also a proposal from the district administrators to set up an information desk at the upazila level. But I think not all ministries should have offices at upazila level, it is not appropriate to continuously increase the size of government, I told them that.