Govt forms 4 more commissions

The government has announced the formation of four more reform commissions on mass media, health, labour rights, and women affairs.

Journalist and columnist Kamal Ahmed will head the commission on mass media while National Professor Dr AK Azad Khan will lead the commission on health affairs.

Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, executive director of Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies, will oversee the commission on labour rights, and Shireen Parveen Haque, executive council member of Nari Paksha, will head the commission on women affairs.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan shared the decision of the advisory council at a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy yesterday.

"We hope that we will be able to inform you [journalists] about all the members of the four commissions within the next seven to 10 days," she said.

The commission chiefs have been tasked with preparing the lists of the members, the adviser added.

With these four new commissions, the interim government has so far formed 10 to carry out reforms to different sectors.

Talking about the issues discussed in the advisory council meeting, Rizwana said the list of martyrs of the July-August uprising came up for discussion.

"A verified list of the martyrs has already been prepared. We are facing problems in preparing the lists of the martyrs and the injured as instructions were given to remove documents [of the dead and injured] from hospitals. Despite having information [about the dead and the injured] from many places, we cannot cross-check those with the information at hospitals."

Apart from the verified list, the government has another one and the names included in it are currently being scrutinised, the adviser said.

"Investigations into removal of documents from hospitals are underway. Those responsible for removing documents will be brought to book," Rizwana said.

Speaking at the briefing, Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Mahfuj Alam said the advisory council yesterday decided to provide Tk 30 lakh to each of the families of those martyred during the July-August uprising.

"In the first phase, the government will provide Tk 30 lakh to the families of the martyred. Similar arrangements will be made for those who will be added to the list [of martyrs] after scrutiny."

The list of martyrs is being verified by the July Memorial Foundation, Mahfuj added.

He said the government will take initiatives next week to rehabilitate the injured.

Talking about media freedom, Rizwana said the government believes in freedom of the media. She, however, said the media should avoid spreading fake news or disinformation.

"We are not interfering in freedom of speech in any way. This is our principle. You [journalists] are saying and writing whatever you want to say or write. However, some information is being distorted on social media with the aim to spread propaganda. Some false information is also being presented and boosted."