Monday, January 15, 2007

Bangladesh lifts censorship on media

The Bangladeshi government on Friday night lifted the censorship on media, and private television channels started broadcasting news bulletins after the censorship was withdrawn, local media reported on Saturday. President Iajuddin Ahmed declared a state of emergency and curfew on Thursday night. All the private television channels had been restricted not to telecast any news of their own, but they could broadcast the news bulletin of the state-run Bangladesh Television (BTV).
A press report on Friday said the Press Information Department (PID) under the Information Ministry called print and electronic media, asking them not to be critical of the government. PID officials said President’s House gave them the directive on the matter and asked them to convey the order to the media.
The curfew was also lifted on Friday afternoon. President Ahmed resigned from the post of chief advisor of caretaker government. The new Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed was swore in Friday evening.
(Source: Xinhua/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)