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Indo Bangladesh Dialogue on Media and Culture

6-8 March 2007
 

The Law and Information Advisor to the Caretaker Government Barrister Mainul Hosein called for stronger cultural cooperation and review of media policy of both Bangladesh and India. He was addressing the inaugural session of the Indo-Bangladesh Dialogue on Media and Culture as the Chief Guest jointly organised by the CPD and India International Centre (IIC) held from 6-8 March 2007 at the BRAC Centre Inn auditorium in Dhaka. He added that although both the countries have common history and cultural heritage, mistrust is still very evident which needs to be improved to walk forward mutually for a better tomorrow. Free flow of information and responsible journalism can remove misunderstanding and prejudice, the advisor said. The three day Indo-Bangladesh dialogue was organised with a view to constructively explore ways to resolve outstanding problems between the two nations and to identify opportunities for greater cooperation in the area of media and culture.

In his introductory speech, CPD Executive Director Debapriya Bhattacharya said that due to mistrust between India and Bangladesh there are ups and downs in the bilateral relationship. However, media of the countries can play effective role in improving the situation as the media in both the countries are equally free.

Chairing the session, CPD Chairman Prof Rehman Sobhan said the media of both the countries should play responsible and unbiased role in dispelling all the mistrust and suspicion. Urging all to work closely to strengthen cooperation in media and culture the Co-chair of the inaugural session Deb Mukharjee, also former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh and leader of the Indian delegation. said that the initiative was an addition to give some new directions to the government actions.

Three technical sessions were held on the second day where experts from Bangladesh and India presented keynote papers at the sessions. These included presentation on Media Cooperation: Follow up on the Delhi Dialogue by Mr Hassan Shahriar, International President, Commonwealth Journalists Association; New Issues for cooperation in the Print Media by Mr Shaukat Mahmood, President, National Press Club and Editor, Weekly Economic Times; and Potential Cooperation in the Electronic Media by Mr Aly Zaker, Managing Director & CEO, Asiatic Marketing Communications which were respectively Chaired by Mr Motiur Rahman, Editor, The Prothom Alo, Mahbubul Alam Former Advisor to the Caretaker Government and Editor, The Independent and Mr Reazuddin Ahmed, Editor, News Today and Former President, National Press Club.

On the third day presentations ware made on Cultural Cooperation: Follow up on the Delhi Dialogue by Lubna Marium, Leading Dance Performer and Researcher; Historical and Archeological Issues: Follow up on the Delhi Dialogue by Enamul Haque, Former Director General, Bangladesh National Museum and Collaboration in the Area of Film and Theater by Tareque Masud, Film Director and Producer. The Sessions were respectively chaired by Professor Anisuzzaman, Member, CPD Board of Trustees, Dr Noazesh Ahmed, Environmentalist and Eminent Photographer and Saeed Ahmed, Former Secretary & Art Critique.

Bangladeshi discussants suggested that the Indian media should report objectively and not with a ‘big brother attitude’ while doing report on Bangladesh. They also pointed out that because of fear and suspicion news stories from both the countries lack from substances. They also hoped that journalists should initiate a move to lobby both the governments to ease visa restrictions. The discussants urged for launching a South Asian editors’ guild and emphasised on joint investigative reporting on border issues. They also urged the Indian government to allow Bangladeshi private satellite channel to telecast in India.

CPD Executive Director Debapriya Bhattacharya briefed the reporters of the proceedings of the technical sessions. In his presentation he underscored the major bottlenecks as perceived by the dialogue participants, which constrained the bilateral cooperation between Bangladesh and India in the areas of Media and Culture. He also presented the issue specific policy recommendation that come out of the dialogue which the participants thought that the political leaders of the two countries should pursue in their quest towards meaningful cooperation. The inaugural session was widely attended by former advisor, eminent academics, diplomats, editors, artists and media personalities.

On the third and concluding day the dialogue participants called for stronger cooperation in the field of media and culture to remove suspicion and mistrust between the two neighbours. Suggestion was also made on forming a number of joint organisations consisting journalists and cultural activists in line with that of India-Bangladesh chambers of commerce and industry.

The participants observed that there is a need to have proper information from the ministries concerned of both the countries so that the journalists are not accused of crossing the line or breaking the law of the countries while reporting, he added.

On the cultural cooperation, the dialogue suggested formation of Indo-Bangladesh Foundation to facilitate cultural exchanges through exchanges of artists and arrangements of joint music and film festivals.

The participants at the dialogue also recommended joint excavation of suitable archaeological sites in Bangladesh, allow entry of Bangladesh films to India, setting up a film laboratory by India in Bangladesh and introducing Indian scholarship programme for Bangladeshi students to study in India.

The CPD ED summed up the recommendations of the dialogue which included carrying out joint media investigations on border conflicts, water, migration and cross-border insurgency. He added that eminent writers and scholars from both the countries can write columns on bilateral issues regularly in major newspapers of both the countries. The recommendation also included providing the young journalists by part time job to felicitate exchange of expertise and experience. He urged the journalists to write more about visa restrictions which they often face and added that major literary works of the two countries could be translated. On electronic media the dialogue suggested establishment of an electronic news agency within South Asia and to explore ways which will enable Bangladeshi satellite TV programmes could be broadcasted in India.

Four organisations of Bangladesh and India -- Writer's Ink and Shadhona of Bangladesh and Sanskriti and India International Centre of India -- also announced formation of 'Indo-Bangla Cultural Initiative

Co-chair of the session Dev Mukharji said that there are off course some tribulations between the two neighbours. But there is hardly any tribulation that cannot be resolved through dialogues. He termed the tribulations as psychological and was not objective.

Attending as the Chief Guest Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said that South Asia would lag behind in the world without a sea change in the mindset of both the countries. He added that the suggestions would provide inputs for both the countries in the next SAARC summit. He continued that the united South Asia can recon the global arena and the present Caretaker Government was putting high priority to build close relationship with the South Asian countries including India.

The Advisor noted that media has special responsibility and said that media was an asset in the South Asia which had helped render the societies so intensely pluralist. He stressed that common cultural ethos can be promoted through creating conditions for media of Bangladesh and India. He suggested for ensuring free and unimpeded flow of information between the countries, upgrading infrastructural facilities, especially in the ICT sector, promoting networking and syndication arrangements between the press and media of both countries, increasing the frequency of contacts and visits by the media people both at governmental and private levels. CPD Chairman Rehman Sobhan presided over the closing session.