Info ministry reconstitutes press accreditation committee

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has reconstituted the press accreditation committee to oversee the issuance of press accreditation cards for journalists and media professionals.

The ministry issued an office order on Sunday, forming a new 11-member high-level committee. Deputy Secretary Khadija Tahera Bobby signed the order, which states that the newly formed committee replaces the previous one.

Under the new structure, the chief information officer of the Department of Information will serve as chair, while the department's senior deputy chief information officer (protocol) will act as member secretary.

The committee also includes senior officials from several government agencies, including the director general of the Public Diplomacy Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the director general of the Department of Films and Publications, the deputy secretary (press-2) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the deputy secretary of the Secretariat Security Branch at the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Representing the media, the committee includes Dainik Dinkal Editor and Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman; Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury; znews.news Executive Editor and DUJ General Secretary Khurshid Alam; Ekattor Television CEO and Head of News Md Shafiqul Islam (Shafik Ahmed); and News24 TV Special Correspondent Umme Marufa.

According to the office order, the committee will carry out three key responsibilities. It will take the necessary steps to issue press accreditation cards, hear and resolve objections, complaints and appeals related to the cards, and recommend additions, amendments or revisions to the Press Accreditation Policy whenever necessary.