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President Iajuddin Ahmed has said that the electronic media should focus on people's activities and strengthen the national heritage and culture, reports UNB.
"The role of mass media is very important in highlighting national progress and development at home and abroad. In this golden age of information technology, the electronic media is the most modern media for conveying the voice of the common people and current events objectively," he said.
The President was inaugurating the operation of RTV, a new Bangla satellite television channel in the private sector, at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre Monday.
He also expressed the hope that RTV would encourage people's participation in the national development efforts and help expand literacy and improve the standard of education, create employment and attain the goal of poverty alleviation.
The President said that millions of Bangla speaking people living in various parts of the world including United States, Britain and the Far East and Middle East countries would be able to watch the programmes of RTV to be telecast through satellite.
This, he noted, would help the Bangladeshi diasporas to keep in touch with the current politics, culture, development efforts and everyday events that are taking place in the country.
He reminded that transparency and accountability in all institutions must be ensured in a democratic society.
The President said that the present government believes in freedom of speech, but all should be cautious so that this freedom is not misused.
Mass media have the right to question transparency and accountability in various institutions, but at the same time the mass media are also accountable, he pointed out.
President Iajuddin said that the media have responsibility towards society and they can play important role in bringing about social reforms.
He mentioned that various media including CNN did not confine their activities to transmission of news, but also helped the distressed people in various ways.
The President stressed on upgrading our mass media to international standard and called upon all concerned to come forward in practising sound journalism while staying above all controversies.
He expressed the hope that with the slogan of 'Aj and Agamir' (for today and tomorrow), RTV would be able to play an important role in serving the nation by reflecting the expectations and desires of the common people.
Among other, Information Minister M Shamsul Islam and Chairman and Managing Director Mosaddek Ali of RTV were present at the formal launching ceremony of the channel.
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