Media houses can’t sack journalists with short notice: Arafat
He agreed to a demand placed by journalists to bring social media under a policy and accountability
No media house can terminate journalists suddenly or with short notice, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat said today (14 February).
"Notice of retrenchment to anyone must be served at least three months before implementation," he said at a meeting with a Broadcast Journalist Centre (BJC) delegation at his ministry's conference room in the Secretariat.
He also said the government does not want to suppress freedom of speech while preventing misinformation.
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He also agreed to a demand placed by journalists to bring social media under a policy and ensure accountability.
"As journalists underscored the need to bring all social media, including YouTube and Facebook, under a policy and accountability, I, as the state minister for information and broadcasting, just agreed to the demand and will try to fulfill it after consulting with journalists and other stakeholders," he said.
"Legal action will be taken against the journalists involved in irregularities," he warned.
"No one can run television without Cleanfeed, if they do; they will also be brought under justice," the state minister added.
Arafat also sought cooperation from journalists in fulfilling their [journalists] demands.
The work of digitising the cable network service across the country will begin soon, the state minister said.
