Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has assured that the issue of publishing government advertisements or supplements in online media and television, like newspapers, will be taken into consideration.
After receiving proposals from online and television media, he said he would take them into consideration.
The proposal came up during a pre-budget discussion with editors and senior journalists at the Finance Ministry on Saturday afternoon.
Banglanews24.com editor Touhidul Islam Mintu said that many newspapers take government advertisements by showing their print run in excess. Government money is ‘wasted’ on these advertisements and supplements through corruption in collusion with officials. Since their actual print run is low, the government’s message does not reach the readers.
In that case, he proposed publishing it in media outlets such as online or television, where there is transparency in readership.
Two senior journalists from the television station also made a similar proposal.
In response, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said, “What you said about advertising due to digitalization, on TV and online…we need to do a little, another work out. I will work on the issue; it’s a good point; I understand it.”
He said, “First is the issue of the broadcast sector. The issue that you (television representative) raised, I think we can work on this. I am asking the Information Secretary to take note of it. This is an important issue, what you said.”
“We are discussing directly with the Ministry of Information and I will get back to you about the matter after discussing it with the Information Secretary. As one of the news portals said, we have to make an arrangement now.”