Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Friday said the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB)'s statement is not conducive to rectifying Mass Media Employees Bill, rather it hinders doing so.
He made the remark while exchanging views with journalists at his official residence at Minto Road in Dhaka.
Hasan, also Awami League's joint general secretary, said it has become TIB's habit to issue statements over all the issues, even going beyond the areas of their work.
Mass Media Employees Bill will be ratified and amplified in the parliamentary standing committee meeting with the stakeholders and it is not a matter that should concern TIB, he mentioned.
Despite that, TIB issued a statement to make it a political issue which is not helpful for the process of ratification, rather it is a barrier, he observed.
The minister said the mass media act is for journalists and media personnel and it is not related to corruption.
The bill has gone to the parliamentary standing committee and it will be ratified and amplified by holding talks with leaders of journalists, he said, adding that he has already held talks with journalist leaders.
But TIB issued the statement to make it a political issue and there is an ill motive behind the statement, he claimed.
It may be noted that Thursday, Transparency International Bangladesh released a statement that said that the proposed "Mass Media Employees (Services Conditions) Bill 2022" does not guarantee job security, related benefits and rights of media workers.
