State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Choudhury today said the government is preparing a list of genuine journalists in consultation with journalists’ organisations to uphold the dignity of the profession.
“We have taken various measures and are regularly exchanging views with different journalists’ bodies, including the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) and Broadcast Journalists Association, to prepare a list of genuine journalists,” he said.
The state minister was responding to a supplementary question from treasury bench lawmaker Zainul Abedin Faruque of Noakhali-2 during the question-answer session in the Jatiya Sangsad, with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir-Bikram in the chair.
He said the list would be prepared based on the recommendations of journalists’ organisations, adding that the government would not interfere in setting the criteria for defining a professional journalist.
“The government firmly believes in press freedom, is committed to authentic journalism and encourages it,” Yasser said.
In his supplementary question, Zainul Abedin urged the government to prepare a list of genuine journalists and formulate rules to curb fake journalism.
He said some unqualified people were posing as journalists, using fake identity cards and spreading misinformation on social media, thereby tarnishing the image of professional journalists.
Earlier, replying on behalf of Information and Broadcasting Minister Andalib Rahman to a written question from treasury bench lawmaker Nilofer Chowdhury Moni, the state minister said 1,344 journalists had received welfare grants totalling 6.48 crore taka during the tenure of the current government.
During the 2025-26 fiscal year, scholarships worth 73.26 lakh taka were also provided to 402 students from journalists’ families.
Yasser said the government had undertaken various programmes to ensure journalists’ professional dignity, financial security, social protection and overall welfare.
The Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust was established in 2014 through an act of parliament, followed by the formulation of the Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust Rules, 2016, which were published in the official gazette on April 13 that year, he said.
The trust provides financial assistance to journalists facing financial hardship, illness, accidents or unemployment, as well as to the families of deceased journalists. Grants are provided in cases of death, serious illness, accidents and financial distress in line with established policies.
Scholarships and other financial assistance are also provided to meritorious students from financially disadvantaged journalists’ families to help them continue their education.
The state minister said the trust had also introduced support programmes for journalists and their families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, families of journalists killed in connection with the July mass uprising, and journalists recognised for their courage.
He said applications for assistance were scrutinised and supporting documents examined before grants were approved by the relevant authorities and the board of trustees under the 2016 rules.
To ensure transparency and accountability, the trust has also taken steps to transfer grants directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, he added.
Since its establishment, the trust has distributed a total of 67.14 crore taka among 19,321 journalists and their family members, Yasser said.