Govt wants press freedom but to check disinformation: Anisul

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haq today (25 February) said the government will never intervene in press freedom but wants to adopt more acts aiming to check fake news.

"The government plans to enact more acts aiming to discontinue rumours or fake information but never wants to obstruct the press freedom", he said on behalf of State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat at Jatiya Sangsad (JS).

Anisul was responding to a supplementary question tabled by opposition Jatiya Party lawmaker Ruhul Amin Hawlader of Patuakhali-1 as Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was chairing the JS session.

The law minister said the government has a plan to enact more laws with the prevailing cyber security act for not controlling the news media but to check confusion creating fake news.

"We must have to pass law in relevance with protecting fundamental rights like freedom of speech and freedom of the press", he told the parliament during a question-answer session for the ministers.

To bring the online portal under registration, he said the government has started registration process of the unregistered online news portals across the country.

Till January 31, the press information department (PID) has provided registration certificates to some 208 online news portals and 168 daily newspapers online editions.

Registration of the online news portal is a continuous process, Anisul said, adding that more online news portals also will be brought under registration process in phases.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has given permission to bring 213 online news portals, 196 daily newspapers online editions and 17 private television channels online portals under registration, he pointed out.