Controlling the mass media is one of the major weapons used by the fascist rulers, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said."There're so many mass media in the country, but they can't work freely. In fact, they're not free. The mass media couldn't become free even after 52 years of independence," he said while speaking at a seminar titled, "Mass Media in Bangladesh: One and a half decades of misrule"organised by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) at a hotel in the capital on Monday (August 14).

BNP Standing Committee members Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Nazrul Islam Khan, among others, were present at the seminar.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam also said a new corporate media culture has been developed in Bangladesh. Big businessmen are the owners of the corporate media. They have developed this corporate media culture for their own interest including safety of their businesses, taking advantages from banks, money laundering etc. So, a free mass media is not possible without democracy.

The BNP Secretary General alleged that the government has spoiled the society. The government has not only spoiled the politics, parliament and mass media, it has also polluted every field of the society. This government has taken all-out preparations to implement one-party system of BKSAL.

The cover page of a book, titled, "Mass Media in Bangladesh: One and a half decades of misrule" was unveiled at the seminar. BNP Chairperson's advisory council member Ismail Jabiullah presented the keynote paper at the seminar.

Speakers at the seminar termed the transformation of 'Digital Security Act' into 'Cyber Security Act' nothing but 'a bluff and eyewash'.

They said the BNP would ensure freedom of mass media if it gets a chance to run the country. It would repeal all the black laws including the Digital Security Act, and constitute a Media Commission.

Moderated by BNP organising secretary Shyama Obaid, the seminar was also addressed by BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Professor Shahiduzzaman, Gana Odhikar Parishad's Nurul Huque, Kalyan Party's Syed Ibrahim and BFUJ's M Abdullah, among others.