Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that, `Great evolutionary changes are happening every day due to the advancement of technology. The advancement of technology has caused the closure of the prominent daily news papers around the world. The closure has brought news portals(on line news papers)at the forefront. The evolutionary change is a continuous process. So we must go along it'.
She said that, `Technology creates opportunities that bring modernization and it creates problem also. If we follow the same continuity then it will fail. In present day world only the prominent on line news papers are being read. People do not go through printed news papers at all. Many prominent print news papers have already entered in their on line edition. Papers are not used', the PM said.
In the question-answer session during the press conference held in afternoon of Friday(April26) at Gonobhavan on post Brunei visit Sheikh Hasina said all this.
Sheikh Hasina said that, “this is the impact of modern technology which will continuously bring evolutionary changes in our daily life.”
“The number of our daily news papers is more than 700 which is surprising. No where in the world the number is so high. In Singapore there is a single news paper which is also government sponsored. Just look at our neighboring countries where there is even not such huge number of dailies', the PM said.
Speaking on wage board award in the media the head of the government said that, `we have done our job regarding the wage board, now it is the duty of the owners to implement it. Now let us see that how much the journalists can collect from the owners.'
In the press conference when she was asked about Television industry she replied, `You have told that the TV industry is getting sick gradually but do you know that still people are applying for new channels. I asked the Information Minister to allow all who wants it. At least it will create job opportunities. So I have opened this in private sector. Let the people get channels, we have no problem.'
She said, `We have made digital, even satellite. Now our TV can run using our own satellite. Even we gave proposals to make the satellite rent free for three months. But the channels are not responding in that way. Instead they are paying huge money to the foreign satellites.'
The Prime Minister said, `we sat with the channels owners how we will give them satellite facilities at a lower cost. Next the cable operators attach importance on those channels who gives them extra facilities for keeping their channels at the forward positions so that large number of viewers can enjoy.'
She said that, `people will enjoy those channels who will make good programs. Our country is of 16 crore people. That much I can say, that the number of viewers will not reduce.'
In the press conference Foreign Minister Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriyar Alam were present among others.