Journalist leaders at secretariat to meet with home adviser over entry restriction

Leaders of the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters' Forum (BSRF) are at the secretariat to hold a meeting with Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury to discuss their entry to the administration hub to carry out their duties.

The meeting was scheduled to start at 11:30am today (29 December). However, at around 12:30pm, it was learnt that the meeting would start very soon.

The 20-strong BSRF delegation includes the executive committee of the forum and several senior members.

Journalists who cover the secretariat and government officials with temporary passes were barred from entering the premises this morning (29 December), following a government decision to cancel the temporary passes and restrict access through media persons' accreditation cards until further notice.

Various journalists' associations have harshly criticised the move, which came after a massive fire gutted four floors of building 7 at the secretariat on Thursday (26 December).

When asked about the meeting, earlier this morning, BSRF General Secretary Masudul Haque told The Business Standard, "The home adviser has given us time for a discussion. We want the chance to enter the secretariat to carry out our professional duties. We want a solution to the problem through a discussion.

"We will take a decision through discussion if the home adviser does not provide a solution."

Meanwhile, officials of the ministries and departments, which suffered the most damage, started working at the subordinate offices this morning on the first working day after the fire.

Asked about the matter at 11am, the LGRD and cooperatives ministry's Public Relations Officer Md Salahuddin told TBS, "The Local Government Division and Rural Development and Cooperatives Division have started working from the unused rooms at Nagar Bhaban of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC)."

Mokhlesur Rahman, the personal secretary to the secretary of posts, telecommunications and information technology, said, "Our office has been shifted to the office of Mailing Operator and Courier Service Licensing Authority at the GPO."

The youth and sports ministry's Public Relation Officer Md Nur Alam said they are currently working out of the National Sports Council office.

Officials related to the affected ministries said they are operating on a limited scale as most employees are busy tidying up their offices at the temporary workplaces.