Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that Bangladesh's media has the freedom to say whatever they wish and added that the number of media houses have grown during her tenure.
"After saying everything, if someone says that he/she's not allowed to speak, what will be the answer? That's my question," she said in an interview with the Bengali service of Voice of America (VoA) aired yesterday (September 27, 2022).
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The prime minister was responding to a question on the Digital Security Act (DSA) enacted by her government and its impact on freedom of media. The PM is now in Washington on a visit to the United States.
She said that Bangladesh only had a few TV and radio stations before she came to power in 1996 and they were controlled by the government.
PM Hasina said once she came to power, she made an opening for the private sector to run media houses freely.
She said there are around 32 private television channels that are now operational among the approved 44 TV channels.
The prime minister said people are taking part in television talk shows and they keep talking freely – true or false – and keep criticising the government.
She said there was no freedom of speech or movement when there was a military dictator in power.
