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RestrictedUNDP/BGD/77/020Technical Report No. 1

BANGLADESHDevelopment of Press Institute

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Press Development in Bangladesh

by D.J. Dallas

Serial No.: FMR/CC/DCS/79/244 (UNDP)

United NationsDevelopmentProgramme

United Nations Educational,Scientific and CulturalOrganization

Paris, 1979

PRESS DEVELOP!llENT IN BANGLADESH

United NationsDevelopmentProgramme

BA~rGLADESH

Report prepared for the Govertmentof Bangladesh by the United NationsEducational, Scientific and CulturalOrganization (Unesco) .acting as Executing Ageney- forthe united Nations DevelopmentProgramme (IDIDP)

United Nations Educational,Scientific and CulturalOrganization

-UNDP/BGD/71/020Technical Report ~o.1 (Dallas)nm/ccjncs/79/244(UNDP)21 September 1919

() Unesco 1919Printed in France

TABLE OF CONTm1TS

CONCLUSIONS ••••••••••••• e·••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Terms of reference of mission ••••••••••••••••••••••••

The project ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Pa.ra.gra.tils

1 4

(5 16)

5 78 1011 16

(17 70)17 20

21 30

31 4344 5152 56

57 6465 70

(71 73)717273

(74 82)

74 7178 82

83 90

PageS

18 2425 26

2128

29 - 303132

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••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The Chittagong Course ••••••••••••••••••••••

Recommendations for Fellowships ••••••••••••

PTess Councils •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Newspapering in Bangladesh: A brief studyin background by Lutfor RaJm1a.n •••••••••••••

Estimate for Printing unit •••••••••••••••••

Possible Sources of Aid ••••••••••••••••••••

BSS Communications Proposals •••••••••••••••

loJ'ork done

The Press Council ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The Count~ ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

On the role and ~~r.k of the Press Institute ••••••••••

On the work of the Press and National Agene,y •••••••••

PI-ess Freedom

an the role and. work of the Press Institute ••••••••••

On the generaJ. state of the Press in Bangladesh ••••••

On "Opening Up" to the t'lorld •••••••••••••••••••••••••

The Press Insti~te ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Tbs Press ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The National News Agene,y •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

A Rural Daily ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

BACKGROUND •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

INTRODUCTION •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

ANliJEX A

ANliJEX B

ANNn C

ANNEX D

Am1EI E

ANNEX. F

AmEt a

RE~!mNDATIONS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

StlvmARY OF REroRT

EGD/77/020 - Press Development in :Bangladesh

TDJRNICAL REPORT

SUMMARY OF REPORT.

1. During a. three-month (Ja.nua.r,r - April 1979) mission to the PressInstitute of Bangladesh in Da.cca, a. Unesso Consultant in Ccmmnmications planningdirected a journalism training course in Chittagong a.nd made an in-depth stud.;rof -tile CO'lmtr,r's press problems. He concluded that the Press Institute can playa major. part in helping to solve these problems. There is ever,r indication thatthe Government is sympathetic towards these problems and wants to promote a freerpress..

2. The report indicates that the press in :Bangladesh is in a. state ofi801a-1:ion from that of other countries and.. more "outside" contacts are needed toenable the press to improve its efficiency. The dissemination of news insideEangladesh has been hampered by an inadequate cOmmw1ications. network. The key tosolving this, the report :wggests, lies in impr.oving the communications of thenational news agency ESS(*'). More training is ne.eded for journaJ.ist-s· a.t -~l le~lsand a. B111"Vey should be undertaken of the technological equipment of the press ot"Eangladesh.

3. The Press Institute of :Bangladesh needs close relations and exchangeof information with other institutions in the area concerned with press research,documentation and training. The report recommends the early organization of a.seminar/workshop in the region (Indian subcontinent-South East Asia.) of the headsof such institutions to establish a framework for cooperation.

4. For 1980-82 the Institute needs continued outside assistance to providetraining experts/consultants in fields related to the needs of the press and books.The Institute also badly needs a small modern printing press, for training purposesand later for publication purposes.

(*) BSS: Bangladesh Sa.ngbad Sa.ngstha

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INTRODUCTION

The project

5. The present report sums up the findings of a three-month consultancymission carried out between 15 Ja.nuary and 14 April 1979 in the context of a small­scale UNDP-a.ssisted project BGD/77/020 - Development of the Press Institute of:Bangladesh.

6. This project, for which the Government Implementing Agency is the PressInstitute of Bangladesh, Ministr;r of Information and Broadcasting, with Unesco asthe Executing Agency, has the following immediate objectives:

(a) To organize short-service training courses at the Institute inmodern techniques of mass oommunication for working journalistsin newspaper, radio and television and for Government personnelconcerned with the news media in order to upgrade professionalskills.

(b) To organize Gperational research programmes for journalists whichwill enable the journalists to relate their work in a practicalmanner to development needs and objeotives, in-depth studies tofind out the loopholes in the communication media in Bangladeshand to arrange for publications of research findings.

(c) To set up a microfiche unit 'and a reference centre for newspapers,and develop an information bank and :Bangladesh archive.

(d) To establish linkages with other international organizations havingfunotions similar to this, particularly in Asia.

7. The UNDP oontribution provides for five man-months of consultantservices, a study- tour and equipment.

Terms of reference of mission

8. The terms of reference of the Consultant mission dealt with in thefollowing report were to:

(a) Appraise on-going programmes;

(b) Design, in collaboration with the Director-General of the Institute,appropriate training programmes;

(c) Advise on equipment requirements.

9. The mission, originally planned for only two months, wa.s extended byone month to enable the consultant to direct a journalism training course inChittagong.

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10. A second consultant will handle research and documentation, orgaJUzUlgthe reference unit at the Institute and research programmes and activities relatedto the promotion of development-oriented reporting.

Work done

11. The list of equipment needed was finalized: much of the equipmentin fact arrived during the course of the mission. "';'greement was reached on a listof books to the value of $2,000, as per the project document.

12. Recommendations were made with regard to the provision of a microficheunit. Agreement was reached with officials of the Press Institute that finaldecisions should await advice from experts in Paris; it was also thought advisablethat the arrival of the second Consultant should be delaY'ed until after the micro­fiche equipment had arrived in Dacca: he would then help to supervise its installa­tion and train staff in its operation.

13. The programmes car:-ied out to date by "the Press Insti"tuiie were carefullY'studied. Future programmes envisaged were discussed in some detail with the actingDirectoz-General of the Press Institute, Mr. A. Toab Khan, and his colleagues, andrecommendations were made. A supplY' of teaching material was left with the Instituteand advice was given on current affairs reference books needed.

14. Recommendations were also made regarding stUdY' tours and Fellowshipsfor senior staff of the PI13 (see Annex E).

15. The Consultant also directed a two-week training course' for thejournalists of Chittagong, Bangladesh's port and second citY'; this was the firstsuch training course ever arranged for the newsmen there, generating much localenthusiasm. The Consultant left l3a.ngladesh two days after the course ended.

16. The Consultant was also able to take a wider look at the problems ofthe press in I3a.ngladesh, which he did with the full encouragement of theauthorities, including the Ministr,y of Information and the Press Institute whosefunctions include advising the Government on press problems. This wider surveY'included problems of communication channels throughout the countr,y, the role of thenational news agencY' BSS (Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha) and technical pressproblems (see Recommendations, paragraphs 14 - 82).

:BACXGRomrn

The Country

11. When the Indian subcontinent was partitioned in 1941, two independentstates came into being - India and Pakistan, the former predominantlY' Hindu, thelatter predominantlY' Muslim. There were two "wingsll of Pakistan - the western, withKarachi as the seat of government for all Pakistan, and the eastern, with Da.cca asits chief citY'. The two wings were separated by 1,200 miles of Indian territor,y.East Pakistan declared itself independent as the new state of l3a.ngladesh in 1911.

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18. Bangladesh today has a population approaching 85 million crammed intoan area of 55,598 square miles, and family planning is a top national priority.The People's Republic of Bangladesh is a secular state whose President isZiaur Rahman, the former Chief Martial Law Administrator. Martial Law, in forcesince August 1915, was lifted in April 1979, a few days after the opening ofParliament, following a general election on multi-part;T lines, with a large numberof candidates--standing as independents. President Zia' s Bangladesh NationalistParty (B.N.P.) has a majority of more than two to one in Parliament and is pledgedto put through: a 19-point reform programme.

19. With the transition to a form of parliamentary democracy, PresidentZia and his senior Ministers have stressed that the press has an important role toplay in nation-building and- that it should enjoy a measure of freedom if it is tofulfil its task adequately and with a due sense of responsibility.

20. The literacy rate in Bangladesh is less than 20 per cent (some inde-pendent experts suggest it is "very much l1 lower) and the country is poor andpredominantly agricultural, but Bangladesh has four universities and a growingnumber of intellectuals.

The Press Institute

Ob;ectives:_tiWt _

21. The objectives and functions of the Press Institute of Bangladesh,as defined in the Gazette Notification of 18 August 1976, are:

(a) To provide in-service training to working journalists and to newspersonnel working under the Government or any local author!ty;

(b) To undertake research programmes on journalism, both national andinternational, and to publish data and information relatingthereto;

(c) To offer advisory and consultancy services to any newspaper ornews agency;

(d) To establish contact with other organizations, both national andinternational, having functions similar to those mentioned inthis paragraph;

( e) To set up a morgue with a micro-film unit and a newspaperreference centre;

(f) To advise the Government on any matter relating to the press thatmay be referred to it by the Government;

(g) To do such other acts and things as may be necessary for theuplift of the standard of journalism in Bangladesh.

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Activities to date

22. Fourteen seminars and training courses have been held, ranging fromcourses for reporters, sub-editors and editorial writers to a seminar on environ­mental awareness. Four courses' (including the Chittagong course) were conducted byvisiting foreign experts. Aid in training and training material has been suppliedby the Editorial Study Centre of the Thomson Foundation in Cardiff. The CommonwealthPress Union (CPU) supplied the services o:t its chief training consultant,Mr. J. Clement Jones, to conduct one course. Some courses have been run jointly bythe P.I.B. and other bodies, including United Nations agencies.

23. An ambitious course on Develooment Journalism (Novembe~December1977)was preceded some months earlier by a one-week initiation course :tor instructorsconducted by Profess0:t: John C. Men-ill of Wisconsin University. Fifty-two lecturesembracing all aspects of development and the national economy were delivered duringthe six-week course which included five reviews and six workshops, as well as visitsto projects. Sixteen participants from Bangladesh newspapers and news agencies tookpart.

24. A one-week semina.r on Environmental Awareness was held in Ja.nua.r;r 1979.It was sponsored jointly by the Press Institute o:t Bangladesh, the BangladeshEnvironmental Pollution Control Board and the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) for Asia and the Paci:tic Region. A full report running to 23 pages wasprepared and copies sent to the media and other interested parties. The 16 courseparticipants included representatives from newspapers published in four cities of:Bangladesh, one producer from Bangladesh Radio, one news editor from BangladeshTelevision and senior executives from some public bodies. Prominent people in thefield of newspapers, education, urban affairs, population control and nationalplanning addressed the seminar.

25. In the earlY' da;y'S of the Institute, Mr. D.G. Rowlands, Director of theEditorial Study Centre at Cardiff, conducted a one-week training course forprospective instructors, in November 1976. (The Thomson Foundation has been consis­tentlY' a good friend to :Bangladesh, having trained many- of its journalists, some ofwhom today- hold keY' editorial posts~) The P.I.B. itself organized another trainingcourse for instructors in August 1977.

26. A seminar to be conducted bY' the Commonwealth Press Union for AsianCommonwealth editors is scheduled for later this Y'ear and plans are being discussedfor a two-week seminar on the population problem, jointlY' sponsored by the AsiaInstitute of Broadcasting Development (AIBD) and Unesco, to be attended by editorsfrom Asia and the Pacific Union. In the sphere of professional journalism, arefresher course is to be organized by district (mofussil) correspondents and therewill be courses for junior reporters and proof-readers. (In Bangladesh, proof­readers are admitted as members of the national Union of Journalists.) The maximumlength of any course to date is six weeks. It is hoped also, later in the year, toorganize a course in Newsoaoer Management. This is very- necessary- since this is anarea in which Bangladesh editors appear to be weak and badlY' need guidance fromoutside.

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27. In the field of Research and Reference, the Institute has organized itsown librar,y with many useful reference books including the rare official Gazetteersof the different districts of Bangladesh (works to which this Consultant referredtime and again in familiarizing himself with the customs, culture and life of thepeople). It has one encyclopaedia, one or two international reference books (out ofdate) and a few hundred other books ranging from international relations to physics,sociology, environmental problems and the behavioural sciences as well as some bookson mass communications, journalism and journalism training. Probably the most valuableof the latter are the first four volumes of the five-volume series called "Editingand Design" by Harold Evans, Editor of the Sunday Times, London.

28. A newspaper clippings library has been started and to date some 200 fileshave been opened covering the domestic and international scene, economic and socialand other contemporar,y problems. This is ver,y much in a.11 early stage of development:its importance is that the relevant newspapers are clipped and filed daily.

~t=:U.2t~e.1. ~t~f!i:!g_a.:!d_A$n!n!s!I'!;t!o!:

29. The Press Institute is a semi-autonomous body under the Ministr,y ofInformation and Broadcasting. Its Board of Management, presided over by Mr. S.Murtaza Ali, a senior and much respected personality, includes distinguishedjournalists, representatives of the Council of Newspaper Editors and of theCouncil of Newspaper Owners, representatives of the Bangladesh Federal Union ofJournalists (BFUJ) and of the appropriate ministries dealing with publicity, infor­mation and public relations. Dacca University is represented on the Board by theChairman of the Department of Journalism, and there is also a representative fromthe Ministr,y of Education. The P.I.B.'s Director-General is an ex officio member ofthe Board.

30. The Acting Director-General is Mr. A. Toab Khan, the Director of Studiesand Training. Mr. Lutfor Rahman is Director of Administration and Research.

The Press

31. The ups and downs of the Press in Bangladesh make sense only within thetangled political histor,y of this state over the past decade and, to some extent,political histor,y since the partition of the subcontinent.

32. Amid the torment of politics, interspersed with natural disasters, thepress often became a shuttlecock. Newspapers could be closed down overnight andeditors jailed, or newspapers under private ownership would be taken over by theGovernment.

33. Newspaper histor,y is tied up inextricably with the pro-Bengali, anti-Pakistan movement, with the long periods of martial law in Pakistan, with itsconstant suppression of political activities. At times pro-Pakistan newspapers wouldbe burned to the ground. In 1975 Sheikh Mujib closed down all but four of Dacca'sdaily newspapers which he put under government control. Shortly afterwards, he andmembers of his family were assassinated in an army coup.

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34. A short history of the press in what is now :Bangladesh, dating back tocolonial times, was written by Mr. Lutfor Rahma n , Research Director of the PressInstitute of :Bangladesh and a former news editor of the :Bangladesh Observer, at therequest of the Consultant (see Annex A).

35. This makes clear the perilous past for crusading journalists in theformer East Pakistan. It underlines their desire today for more freedom andindependence within their sphere of professional competence.

36. Independent observers agree there has been a consistent streak ofindependence in the :Bengali character. The people of :Bangladesh are hard-workingand industrious: among the intellectuals, and even among the ord.ina.ry people, thereis a love of drama, folk stories and poetry, music and culture.

37. J Today there are about 42 daily newspapers in :Bangladesh, mostlypublishing in :Bengali, and more than 75 weeklies. The number of full-time journalistsin :Bangladesh is estimated at between 1,500 and 2,000. The chief publishing centreis Da.cca where the most influential press is situated..

38. Dacca has one mass oirculation newspaper, Ittefaq, whioh olaims aoirculation of over 190,000. Renowned. as a pioneer in the cause of the strugglefor independenoe in the eastern part of Pakistan, it has had a oonsistentpopularity and can be oalled the newspaper of the masses. Its more detailed historyis dealt with in Mr. Rahman's paper.

39. other influential :Bengali daily papers publishing in Da.ooa areDa.inik Eangla, whose editor is probably :Bangladesh's leading contempora.ry poet, andSangbad..

40. The two English-language newspapers, the :Bangladesh Observer and the:Bangladesh Times, have respeotive circulation figures of about 40,000 and 30,000plus. Like Da.inik :Ba.ngla, they are both Government newspapers, but eaoh enjoys ameasure of autonomy within limits.

41. With industry, baDking and most of oommerce nationalized, the idea ofgovernment-run newspapers may not appear so strange, though all newspapermen resentbeing under shackles.

42. Under the ~ial Law in force from August 1975, stringent sanctionscould have been taken against newspapers. :aut while journalists have continued tooampaign against the so-called "black laws" a.£fecting them there does not appearto be much evidence of serious harassment of the press during the past few years.

43. In addition, seven newspapers are published daily in Chittagong, all ofthem privately owned, and there are other dailies in Khulna and one in Rajshahi.An active weekly press is financed by individuals and political parties: some ofthese publioations have been very outspoken in their critioism of Government policies.

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The National News Agency

44. Bangladesh has a national news agency, the BSS (Ba.ngl~sh Sang-badSangstha), which has recently received its constitution, and a privately-run newsagency E.N.A. (Eastern News Agency). Both distribute domestic and foreign news.

45. 13SS transmits news from Dacca to all its subscribers over the surfaceteleprinter line installed and maintained by the Telecommunication Department. Atpresent, BSS is linked with all subscribers, its bureau office in Chittagongand the Indian news agency PrI through surface teleprinter line.

46. News stories from all places except Chittagong - with which thesurface line is maintained to receive and transmit news - are filed to BSS headoffice by either telegram or telephone. A telegram from some outlying districtoften takes more than 24 hours to reach Dacca because of inadequacies in theexisting telecommunication system.

47. Communication by telephone is time-consuming and tends to beunreliable.

48. When a newly established daily newspaper in Rajshahi, divisionalheadquarters town 170 miles north-west of Dacca, requested a service from BSS, ittook more than six months to secure and install the teleprinter line.

49. On a visit to Rajshahi, the Consultant noted that the BSS line was notworking for hours on end. And transmission of the service to Chittagong was byno means 100 per cent.

50. BSS have found similar problems in installing a line between Dacca andthe industrial port city of Khulna which has several daily newspapers and a vastpotential for subscribers to commercia.l news.

51. The national agency feels it is imperative to develop the basicinfrastructure of an independent system for both transmission and reception ofnews between its headquarters, on the one hand, and its network of correspondents,on the other.

A Rural Daily

52. During the mission, the Ministry of Information arranged for theconsultant to meet Mr. Lohani, editor of a daily newspaper called Dainik Barta,published in Rajshahi, some 150 miles northwest of Dacca., close to the border withIndia.

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53. Mr. Lohani explained that the paper had been set up two and a halfyears previously, with the approval of the President and a long-term interest-freeGovermnent loan. It was at present printing 10,000 copies a day and the runoff tookfour to five hours because the machinery was so antiquated. He said that given apress that would print at the rate of 10,000 to 15,000 copies per hour he would beable to print and sell double that number: in time, he believed he could printand sell 40,000 copies a day.

54. He explained the importance of Ra.jshahi, a key city in the north anda divisional head.qua.rters town (that is, comprising five districts). Ra.j shahi , hepointed out, had a university with a student body' of about 9,000, built in 1964,a medical college and an engineering college: the national centre for training policewas also situated there. It was the centre of a large agricultural area.

55. The newspaper is being produced in the face of overwhelming difficulties.There are frequent power failures, a big shortage of water, and constant oommunioa.­tion problems. The newspaper subscribes to BSS, but as often as not the teleprinterline from Dacca was not working and it was impossible to get Dacca on the telephonefor hours on end.

56. The newspaper's staff try to fill in the gaps by monitoring radiostations - a practice followed by some newspapers in Chittagong, the consultantnoted.

Press Freedom

57. During the election campaign and subsequently, references were made bythe President and his Ministers to the need for a free and responsible press.

58. The President laid the foundation plaque for a new Press Club in Daccaon the eve of polling day and promised that the Govermnent would meet the full oostof the building.

59. A similar note about the need for press freedom was sounded by the Vioe­Chancellor of Chittagong University at the opening of the journalism training courseoonducted by the P.I.E. on 29 March 1979.

60. A banquet held on 11 April, the night before the formal closing of thecourse, had as its guest of honour the Prime Minister designate who was acoompaniedby the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and the Minister of Industry.

61. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Information stressed that a freepress was the oorollary of a parliamentary democracy.

62. In its report on 18 February 1979 of President Zia' s speech at the PressClub ceremony, the (Er:r.glish-language) Bangladesh Observer said the Presidentreiterated his Govermnent's pledge to ensure freedom of the press and freedom ofspeech but cautioned against "irresponsible journalism" declaring that democraoydid not imply lioence.

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63. President Zia, the report added, went on to emphasise the importanceof the "neutral, independent and responsible press" in the political, economic andsocial development of the country.

64. The report continued: "]ut the press, he regretted, had been muzzledtime and again in the past with the curbing of the democratic rights of the people.Appreciating the courage, sense of dedication and sincere spirit which thejournalists in the country had demonstrated in the past in carrying out their duty,he said tha-: Government would help the newspapers and the journalists to dischargetheir responsibilities."

The Press Council

65. Reference was made earlier to the muzzling of the press in 1975, justbefore the assassination of Sheikh Mujib. Yet only one year earlier, a very liberallaw had been enacted establishing a Press Council, whose declared object was"to preserve the freedom of the Press and to maintain and improve the standard ofne"l'lspapers and news agencies in Bangladesh".

66. The text of the Bill was published in the Bangladesh Gazette E:rtra.-ordinary of 14 February 1974. It says:

''The Council may, in furtherance of its object, perform the followingfunctions, namely:

Ca) to help newspapers and news agencies to maintain their freedom;

Cb) to build up a code of conduct for ne"l'lspapers and news agenciesand journalists in accordance w~th high professional conduct;

Cc) to ensure on the part of newspapers and news agencies and journaliststhe maintenance of a high standard of public taste and to foster adue sense of both the rights and responsibilities of citizenship;

(d) to encourage the growth of a sense of responsibility and publicservice among all those engaged in the profession of journalism;

(e) to keep under review any development likely to restrict the supplyand dissemination of (news of) public interest and importance;

(f) to keep under review cases of assistance received by any newspaperor news agency in Bangladesh from any foreign source including suchcases as are referred to it by the Government or are brought to itsnotice by any individual, association of persons or a~ otherorganization;

Provided that nothing in this clause shall preclude the Governmentfrom dealing with, in any manner it deems fit, any case of assistancereceived by a newspaper or news agency in Bangladesh ~rom any foreignsource;

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(g) to undertake studies and research of' natioDal and foreign newspapers,their circulation and impact;

(h) to provide facilities for proper education and training of personsin the profession of journalism;

(i) to promote technical or other research;

(j) to promote a proper financial relationship among all classes ofpersons engaged in the production or publication of' newspapers orin the running of news agencies;

Provided that nothing in this clause shall be deemed to confer onthe Council a.n;r fUnction in regard to disputes to which the Indus­trial Relations Ordinance, 1969 (XXXIII of 1969), applies;

(k) to do such other acts as may be incidental or conductive to thedischarge of the above fUnctions."

67. The Bill said the Press Council would comprise a. Chairman and 14 members,the Chairman to be a person who is, or is qualified to be, appointed as a judge of'the Supreme Court of' Bangladesh, to be nominated by the President of' Bangladesh.

68. The members would include:

3 working journalists3 editors of newspapers and news agencies3 representatives of news agency management or ownership3 persons who have "special knowledge or practical experience in

respect of education, science, art, literature and law";2 Members of Parliament.

69. The Chairman to be a whole-time officer, to hold of'fice for three Y'ea.rsand to be eligible for re-election.

70. At the time of writing this report, it appeared likely that the PressCouncil would soon be set up as a fUnctioning body but it was not clear whether itwould be in the origiDal or an amended f'om. For comparison, the main points of theconstitutions of the Press CounCils in the United Kingdom and India. are appendedas Amlex F.

CONCLUSIONS

On the role and work of' the Press Institute

(a) It has perfomed valuable work in organizing training courses andsemiDars which have proved to be of direct benefit to the press.

(b) One of' the very useful fUnctions it can perform is in establishinga central reference centre to serve the whole of the press. The pressand media. of' Bangladesh are at present hampered in their work by theabsence of ref'erence material. Scarcely a.n;r newspaper in Dacca - andno newspaper publishing outside the capital - has an adequate libraryand news cutting section. The Institute has made a start on this task,but a lot of work lies ahead and staf'f' need to be trained.

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(c) Noting the evident desire of the Government of the People's Republicof Bangladesh to raise the standards of press work1 it is felt thatthe Press Institute of Bangladesh can play a major role in achievingthis aim, subject to its strengthening and development (seeRecommendations).

(d) Senior officials of the Institute need close and continuing contactswith institutions in other countries performing similar tasks witha view to exchanging information and comparing experiences and methodsof work.

On the general state of the Press in Bangladesh

(a) It is suffering from traumatic problems of the past (see pa.ra.gra.phs31 - 43 and Annex A, News'Dapering in Bangladesh).

(b) It is working in isolation from the press of other countries, evenfrom its neighbours in Asia. Some of the national dailies tend tolook too much alike: each newspaper should develop its own distinctidentity. The press must become more outward-looking.

(c) The work of the press as a national institution is hampered byinternal communication difficulties: this question should be tackledas a matter of priority.

(d) A key to dealing with this communications botiileneck lies with thenational news agency BSS. If it can develop an effeciiive andefficient national communications network, this will. benefit .immediately the whole of the press and media.

(e) There should be a review/survey of the technological equipment ofthe press in Bangladesh: this varies from very old-fashioned equip­ment to more modern machinery according to the resources of thenewspapers concerned. To develop its press, Bangladesh must have theequipment to do the job and must plan ahead for the computer age.

(f) Other technical problems also need to be reviewed, such asarrangements for the supply and disiiribution of newsprint(manufactured in Bangladesh) and the qu.a.lity of printing ink which,it is believed, could be greatly improved..

(g) Educationally, the quality of recruits to the newspapers seemsreasonably high and there is enthusiasm which needs harnessing anddirecting.

(h) There is a need for organized journalistic training at all levels,for beginners, for mid-eareer journalists and for mofussil (district)correspondents.

- 13 -

(i) Morale among newspapermen could be raised if more encouragement isgiven for initiative and enteJ:Yrise. If news stories and features bystaffers are well written andjor researched, it is encouraging togive the writer a byline. This is seldom done in the Bangladeshinewspapers whereas it is standard practice in many other countriesand the personalised byline was adopt ed many years ago by theinternational news agencies.

On ll00ening Uu ll to the World

73. The international traveller in Dacoa is surprised to find that a.t theoity's main international hotel he oannot bu;y oopies of main daily newspapers fromEurope, the U.S.A. or even from other Asian" countries, though some weekly nel'1Smagazines are available. Nor are suoh dailies easily availa.ble a.n;vwhere else in

)

Daooa.. This tends to give foreigners in Daooa a feeling of lIisola.tion", espeoiallyif there is also no television lounge in whioh they oan watch the news in Ecglish.For similar reasons Bangladeshi newspapermen feel isolated, as noted earlier.

RECOMMmDATIONS

On the role and work of the Press Ins-titute

74. (a) The need for study tours for senior offioials of the Institute,as envisaged in the Project Document, is endorsed (see.A.zmex E fordetailed reoommendations).

(b) The Ins-titute should press for the early oonvening of a seminaror workshop for the heads of institutionS conoerned with presstraining, press development, research and documentation, ofoountries within the Indian suboontinent and South-Fast Asia(Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines) withappropriate international institutions represented.-

(0) The Institute should have a daily supply of six newspapers fromother oountries - e.g. from the United Kingdom, the United Statesof Amerioa (or Paris edition of the International Herald Tribune),India, Thailand, MalaYSia.. These should be available for study bypressmen and would no doubt be used by visiting journalism leoturers.

(d) More praotical journalism training oourses should be arranged, forpressmen in Da.ooa, Chittagong, IOm1na and Ha.jshahi.

( e) One of the important areas in journalism training is newspaperdesign, presentation, layout and make-up, together with theprinoiples of subediting, oropping and oaptioning of pictures. Thisoannot be taught adequa.t ely from the blaokboard. The Institut e badlyneeds, as part of its permanent equipment, a small printing unitinoluding its own press..

A small printing unit of this kind oould also serve the needs ofstudents from the Department of Journalism at Dacca University(for es-timate, see Annex B).

- 14-

(f) The intensive phase of development of the Institute is likely tobe within the next two to three years. During the period 1980-82,it is reoommended that the small permanent staff of the P.I.B. shouldbe supplemented by expert lecturers from other countries, to theextent of at least eight man-months per year (say 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 m/m).

It is suggested that the Ministry of Information represent theInstitute's needs to institutions and countries concerned withforeign aid (see Annex C for possible aid sources).

(g) For each of the years 1980, 1981 and 1982 books to the value of$ 1,000 should be provided by outside sources for the Institute.

(h) The appointment of a Director--Genera.l of the Institute on asubstantive basis within the foreseeable future is recommended. TheDirector--Genera.l should be able to speak with authority in dealingwith personalities and authorities on a national and internationalbasis.

Note on Premises

75. The present premises of the Press Institute in Circuit House Road arecommodious but the disadvantage is that the building is some distance away fromDacca 1 s "Pressland" and there are always transport problems in the city. Forma.ximum use of the facilities the Press Institute would offer, a more centra.l site,within the heart of "Pressland", could be considered as an ultimate aim. Onesuggestion for consideration is that, in building the n8"N' Press Club, provisionshould be made to house the Press Institute within the same building. If a presscomplex were built, it could also include suitable premises for BSS.

Note on Recommendation, paragraph 74 (b)

76. Muoh more needs to be known about the work of institutions like thePress Foundation of Asia and the Indian Institute of Mass Communioation and ofjournalism training institutions in South-East Asia generally. The purpose of thesuggested seminar would be to discuss oommon problems, exohange experienoes anddeoide upon recommendations for olose COllaboration and the exohange of information.A similar seminar/workshop held in Ghana. in 1974 with the enoouragement of Unesooled to the oreation of an A.f'riea-wide organization linking institutions dealing"~vith communioations training (EDglish-la.ngua.ge media) with mutual benefit to allpartioipants.

77. Suoh a seminar would help the P.I.B. to fulfil article (d) of itsoonstitution - "to establish oontact with other organizations, both national andinternational, having (similar) funotions."

,-

- 15 -

On the wo'rk' of the Press and National A2'ency

78. (a) Communications: Urgent attention to be given to the scheme forinternational comimmications network submitted by BSS on thebasis of an expert survey (see Azmex G) •

(b) Techndlogy: .A consultant on press technology' to survey the e:q.sting·technical equipment of the press of Bangladesh, the supply a.nddistribution of newsprint a.nd associated problems a.nd makerecommendations. Suggested duration of mission: one month.

(c) Isolation:'To overcome the "isolation" factor, journalists shouldbe encouraged to make full use of the developing facilities of thePress Institute - in particular, stu~ing newspapers from othercountries for ideas on oontent, design, layout, eto. (see Reoommen­dation, paragraph 74 (0)). Exohanges between staff journalists onBangladeshi newspapers and the newspapers of other oountries should.be encouraged... In "looking outwards", the pattern of newspapers andpress work generally in other Commonwealth and/or Asian co'tUItriesshould be studied, particularly where there is a similar politicala.nd oulturaJ. approach.

(d) Tra.:i.ning: .As DOted in Recommendations, paragra.ph: 14 (d) and (e).

(e) Na.tiona.l .A.s:enc;r: With priority being given in maDiY countries to thede'Velopment of national news agencies a.nd bearing in mind the conceptsof a DOn-a.ligned Third. World news pool and of a free and. betterbalanoed flow of information between and within na.tions, trainingfor the journalistio staff of BSS (reporters and sub-editors) asstmlesconsiderable importance. .A stud;r of the working methods of the morea.dvanced news agenoies in the area is recommended and the possibilitiesof the attachment of staff for training should be explored... Alterna.-=tively, the a.ttacbtnent of a news agency expert adviser/tra.iner for ashert period to BSS could be oonsidered...

(f) Agency Premises: The need for suitable premises for BSS, working incramped, crowded conditions, was evident. .As the Consultant waslea.ving Bangladesh it appeared likely that BSS wuld soon be movingto more commodious accommodation in a centraJ. area..

Note on Recommendation - para.gra'Ch 18 (a)

19. BSS has recently made arrangements for the reception of foreign newsservioes by satellite. This development in relation to foreign news should be matchedby a. reliable internal distribution network. It should be DOted that a national newsagency serves DOt only newspapers but also radio and television: its services majyaJ.so be made available to government departments and foreign diplomatic missions.

- 16 -

80. A national news agency should be regarded as the nerve centre of acountry's news communication system. It serves the national and local press,together with radio and television.

81. Investment in a national news agency therefore is a servioe to thepress and media of the country as a whole.

82. An independent, reliable communications network for BSS oould also bemade available for newspaper correspondents filing to their head offices.

THE: GOVERNMENT AND THE PRESS

83. Politically, Banglad.e sh is in a formative stage after a series ofappalling disasters and setbacks over the past eight years. As part of the politicalreadjustment there appears to be a search for the right relationship bet-weenGovermnent and press. That relationship is not likely to be identical with thatbetween Government and press in the advanced industrialized societies but it oouldbe far in advance of that existing in some Third World countries. The key wordobviously is Develooment and the Government e:cpects Cooperation, rather thanConfrontation, from the press.

84. Reference was made earlier to President Zia's speeches on freedom ofthe press. The Bangladesh Observer, in a leading article, interpreted the President'sspeech on the eve of the general election as "a oommitment to press freedom whichis the basis of fundamental liberties".

85.must haveworkingsThen, he

How oan a journalist best fulfil his role in a developing society ? Hea deep sense of responsibility, a wide knowledge of politics and the

of government; an understanding of the principles of the national economy.seeks considerable discretion in the way he produces his newspaper.

86. Some have found an answer to problems involving the relationship betweenGovernment and press in wha.t has come to be known as Development Journalism. Theterm was coined some years ago by the Pre.ss Foundation of Asia (PFA) and wassupported by the UNDP.

81. The PFA saurs: "By Development Journalism is meant the reporting andrecording of the thousand and. one things that have to do with, for instance, growingmore food, expanding the industrial base, selling more goods overseas and givingeveryone a fairer share of the wealth. It ooncerns itself with the continuing storyof the struggle for self-sufficiency and well-being, sometimes for survival itself."

88. A dOC1]1J1ent of the Press Institute of Bangladesh puts it this way:"Without the journalist spreading the word, development in Asia has no chroniclerof the masses. And the masses can make or break: the tempo of development and itsbeneficiary,the community.n

- 17 -

89. But Development Journalism is a two-w~ affair. It involvas not onlyreporting from Government to people but also reporling back popo.lar reaction fromthe grass roots, suggestions for improvement and constructive criticism.

90. It is clea.r there is a. task of national imporlance before the P.I.B.

- 18 -

ANNEX A

Newspa'DerinR:' in Bangladesh

A brief stud.y in background by Lutfor Rahman

PART ONE

It is often alleged that the Press in Bangladesh _is meek, that it s2i1snothing a.ga.inst established order aJJd that it sings praises for i.ts Master wheneverthe occasion arises. Further, it appears every morning with a dull and mournful face.One paper looks like azr::r other paper, ca.rr;ring the same news of similar importance ..Almost featu..~less and colourless, these neus items can neither satisfy the reader'shunger nor can they make a:n:::r conummication effective. '!!hese allegations are neitherbaseless nor untrue.

Reasons for this situation are not far to seek. Broadly speaking thePress of Bangladesh passed through three stages of development during 30 years from1947 to 1977. Every stage stamped on it its characteristic traits as it passed onto the ne:rl stage.

'!!he first stage began on the day the British left India in 1947 andcontinued until October 1958. Actually, the period was more or less a continuationof the British Raj. It was largel;r marked by the liberality of the British adminis­tration which the;r had gradually injected into Indian societ;r since the twentiesof this ceIl"t'ur.1.

~s period saw the birth and death of several newspapers in Dacca wherethere was no daily paper before Augost 1947. Curiously enough, no Pakistani paperhad a nationwide circulation. '!!he West Pakistanis - Punjabis, Sindhis and Ba.luchis ­do not understand BengaJ.i, conversely, Bengalis do not understand Urdu or azr::r otherlocal language. English newspapers had. a very limited circulation, that was confinedalso to big city areas.

'!!he most prominent daily during this period was Azad which shifted itshead.q1la.rters from Calcutta, where it was first published in 1936. Azad was the onl;rlanguage daily owned and published by a Muslim political leader among Hindu religiousobscurantists, championing the cause of the Muslim Language and the Partition of theSubcontinent. Its owner, Moula.na. Akram ICb.an, was a ranking leader of the MuslimLeague. '!!herefo re , when the Muslim Lea.gu.e came into power in August 1947, Azadautomatically became the organ of the party in power. Three other langu.age dailiescame into being during the early 1950s - Insa£', Millat and Sangbad. Again, these threepapers were owned by different factions of the Muslim Lea.gu.e which began to crackas quarrelling broke out among its adherents over the sharing of booty they won onthe Partition of the Subcontinent. Specially Sangbad was brought out by a factionof the party which used to get backing from Mr. Nurul .Amin, the then Chief !~inister.

'!!he other two had little influence over the people and deserve no further mentionhere.

- 19 -

ANNEX A ( Cont' d.)

Next come the English dailies. Among the dailies, which championed thecause of Bengali nationalism from 1950 onwards, the Pakistan Observer, (now theBangladesh Observer) was the most vocal. It was edited by the late lamentedMr. Abdus Salam, the first Director-{;eneral of the Press Institute, who resignedfrom government service to take up the responsibility of editor of the first­ever published English daily in Da.cca in 1949. The Observer was banned in 1952for its pro-Bengali stance and its editor, Mr. Salam, was thrown into jail. Theban was, however, withdral'nl after the 1954 general elections in which the MuslimLeague, the party in power, was completely routed.

Another die-hard Muslim League paper in English came out in 1951. LikeAzad, it also migrated from Calcutta where it first appeared in 1942. Both Azadand Morning Ne,<J'S were the ideological sleuths of conservative Muslim Leaguepolitics. Their campaign sometimes reached such a. pitch that any political mo~,e

taken by the opponents of the Muslim League was branded as anti-state activity.There were occasions when they could wreck the careers of a:rry political leader notof their choice by merely publishing a slanderous news item against him.

One of the main features of newspapering in those da,ys was that, exceptAzad and Morning News, all other pa!lers were not economically viable. No advertise­ments could be collected for these news!la!lers since the advertisement distributioncentre was in Karachi, the capital of Pakistan, which was out of their reach bothphysically and geogra!lhically. No industry worth the name was developed in thispart of the country. Even Sangbad, Mr. Amin's paper, was not given an inch ofadvertisement for years on end. Only Azad had a solid base in Karachi to collectboth Central Government and private advertisements. Morning News got a foothold inKarachi a little later.

It started "get-a.-word", a sort of gambling, under State patronages on acommercial basis. It gained circulation as it also began to earn profit, so much sothat it attracted the vested interests in Vlest Pakistan Ttlhich invested more moneyand later, got its headquarters shifted to Karachi. Until the Da(T" o:f Liberation inDecember 1971 the anti-Bengali role of Morning News could not be stopped. Its officein Dacca was twice burnt by the public, o-nce in 1952 and again. in 1969•. F\:)r itsworking people, including journalists, it could easily draw on refugees from India.F\:)r years they were politically utilised by the Muslim League leaders against theBengaJ.is. They were given ample finance to run an Urdu daily having a good circula.­tion in Dacca., Chittagong and Syedpur. So Azad, Morning News and Pasban, theUrdu daily, used to fan anti-Bengali sentiments based on religious bigotry wheneverMuslim League leaders wanted a political advantage over the BengaJ.is.

- 20 -

ANNEX A ( Con~1 d.)

Political vic~_ from among the student community usually were recruitedas journaliris. Those who today have attained mid-eareer s~a~us came to the profes­sion in this way. ~ey were at one ~ime political a.c~ivists of one party or other.Career journa.lis~s were very few a~ tha.t time, because the profession did no~ pay,papers were poor, and. jou:rna.lis~s were even poorer. No paper could pay theiremployees their mon~h' s sal&ry' a~ a time, excep~ Azad and Morning News. Circulationwas extremely low. Azad had ~he highest circulation figure, being abou~ 20,000.

Another very importa.n~ feature of this period was ~ha.~ ~here was nonewsprint produc~ion in the country. It all had to be imported from ou~side. Sincethere is no local capital, few people could afford. the luxu.r;y of investing in thisfield.. The Bangladesh Observer was the only paper w.hich came out of the rut. Itbuilt itself up ~ by day and for i~s poli~ical role it gained favour and sympath;y­from various importan~ sources. Nevertheless, it had its own difficulties. Itsowner, Mr. Ramidul Raq Chowdhu.ry', a renowned lawyer, Wa3 a Minis~er in ~he firs~

Muslim League Government after Partition. Bu~ he was "o~ra.cised", so to say, byhis political fellow-~ra.vellers.

Ittefaq, born as a weekly in 1948, became a daily in 1953. Moulana.Bhashani was its founder. The ltIoula.na. was the firs~ opposition leader who had theforesigh~ to publish a paper to figh~ the Muslim League zealots. Ini~ially MoulanaBhasbanj himself was i~s Editor. Manik Mia started a column under ~he pseudon;ym''Musafir'' (traveller). Bhashani and his followers used to raise :fmld.s by' askingfor money at street corners and by calling publicly for donations to It~efa.q andto Awami Lea.gue a~ big political gatherings. So it can be said that It~efa.q wasborn out of political wecUock. Bhasha.ni was its father. Re n~ured and nourishedit for well over half a decade.

In the latter part of 1953 Ma.nik Mia approached Bhashani in jail witha plea to surrender the ownership of the paper to him (Manik Mia) who, it wasfurther pleaded, was to bear the risk, both political and financial. Bhashani didso in good faith. The ownership question migh~ have led to a legal ba~tle had itnot been for the in-tervention of R.S. Suhrawa.rd;r, another legend&r;7 figure inBengal politics. Re brought about a compromise satisfactory to bo~h the contenders.

A:1:J::lway, Manik Mia was a man of sterling quality and an ou~ and ou~ politicalbeing and a grea~ populariser. Ris pen was sharp, and even sharper was hisintelligence. His extraordinary power that earned him and the paper tremendouspopularity was his capacity to eroress difficult and in~ricate politica.l problemsin simple la.ngu.a.ge tha~ was understandable to the man in the s~reet. His column"Rajnaitik Mancha" (Political stage) was so popular that if it did not appear a.t:IiY'morning, It~efaq's office was certain to be "gheraced" (picketed) by its politicalfans.

- 21 -

PART TWO

ANNEX A ( Cont 'd.)

The second phase began with the forcible seizure of power by Aivub Ia1.a.nin October, 1958, bringing parliameni:ary politics to a sudden end and. resulting inthe death of newspapers. This happened throughout the country, the then Pakistan.In Dacca, as maIJiT as three language dailies went out of circulation overnight. Overa hundred journalists were thrown out of work.

The papers which survived the first day's onslaught began to appearcarrying Martial Law Regulations. This state of affairs continued for three years.

A1ub started his regime 'by muzzling the Press. With his seizure ofpower he lost no time in clearing the political arena of "undesirable" elements.Politicians and journalists were thrown into jail. Specially in the then EastPakistan, nobod;y' was spared his militarJ "danda" (rod).

As mentioned earlier, most of the senior journalists ,.;ere highlypolitically conscious. MaJ:J;'f of them were taken into custod;y' , without being triedor given a.zJiT reason for their detention. Several dozen of them underwent pbysicaltorture in jail. Prominent among them were Manik Mia, Editor, Ittefaq; Mr. K. G.Mustafa, President, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists; Mr. Shahidullah Kaiser(later killed along with 12 other journalists during the Liberation War) andMr. Nirmal Sen (later President, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists).

Up to 1962 the ph;y"sicaJ. torture of journalists in jail and control ofthe Press by Martial Law Regulations continued at the same time. Then Aivub ini:z'O­duced basic democracy and. promised a constitution of his own brand.

Stomy protestS" swept the country. Again thousands were thrown into jail.The killings of protesting demonstrators by police continued throughout the country(especially in East Pakistan). In 1963 journalists throughout Pakistan under theleadership of the Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) protested against A1ub' sPress and. Publications Ordinance which was generally known as the ''black law". InDacca there was a big demonstration of journalists in which nonagenarian MoulanaAkram Khan, found.er-editor of Azad, also participated. Dictators have their ownwa:I of doing things. Repressive laws became more repressive. This time restrictionson AssemblY' reporting were imposed. Again there were meetings and protests, but tono avail.

The most remarkable feature during Aivub's Martial Law was that thepapers which survived the first onslaught of Martial Law not only regulated theadministrative superstructure but also controlled the political lives of thepeople.

- 22 -

ANNEX A ( Cont Id.)

A;yub I s Martial Law Government declared the first iia.ge Award. forJournaJ.ists in 1961. It might have had. a dampening effect, though short-lived., on themilitant movement of journalists. The period saw simultaneously repressive laws,jail, torture and. police killings : it also experienced developnent with theimportation of modern machinery. New techniques of printing and publishing wereintroduced during this period. Another remarkable phenomenon occurring during thisperiod was that journalists for the first time got the chance of training both athome and abroad. For the first time in Bangladesh the International Press Institute(IFI) held a month-long course in Dacca in 1966, while the distinguished journaJ.istTarzi Vita.chi held a training course in Labere.

People were also sent abroad for training. New make-up, new techniquesof picture editing, were introduced during this period.

The Government moIJOpoly of the Press through the Press Trust also cameabout during this time. It came into being in 1963 when Dainik Bangla was startedby the Trust. Later the administration of four other papers in Pakistan washanded over to the Trust, starting with the seizure of administration (and laterownership) of the famous Lahore d.a.ily, the Pakistan Times. "Abandoned property"was a social pheIJOmenon, but as it brought about socio-ecoIJOmic crisis it waswrapped up with the doctrine of nationalization. Th.is gave bureaucracy the upperhand in controlling the political and ecoIJOmic resources of the count:-y. Thereforethe Government, after Liberation, did IJOt have to invent a:J:J.y' new concept nor did ithave to introduce a:rr:r new system to control the Press. It was a political tra.d.itior.just handed down from the previous generation of Government.

'l'he Press in East Pakistan suffered more during this period. Ittefaqwas banned for three years and its editor was jailed for six months. The Sangba.d.' s-authentication was cancelled. Ittefaq, Observer and Sangba.d. were blacklisted forCentral Government advertisements for over three years from 1967. ~l this happenedwithin a short span of time.

For well over a decade the Press in the then East Pakistan, nowBangladesh, had. been under Martial Law since October 1958 and it continued untilDecember 1971 when the country' freed itself. During this long period the Presscompletely lost its colour and identity, forgot its role and became a simpleprocess server under a giant administrative machinery run by an all-powerful mili­tary bureaucracy.

The political process that the country inherited from the BritishRaj in 1947 had IJOt found enough time and opportunity to develop in a normalway. Its growth had been stunted by another opposing process that is the processof depoliticalization.

PART TE:RmE

ANNEX

23 -

A ( Cont' d.)

There was a complete break in tradition with the previous generation.Both qualitative and qua.ni:itative changes occurred during the post-liberationyears.

First, there was created a vacuum in ownership. Ittefaq and Sangbadwere banned and. their buildings were razed to the ground by the Army. MorningNews and Dainik, being Trust Papers, lost their owners.

Observer, the only paper which achieved business success during thePakistan regime, became abandoned, because its owner, Mr. Hamidul Huq Chowdhury-,was proclaimed a collaborator against Bengalis and his citizenship was latercancelled. The Observer is a group publication. It has two other sister papers,one being the Bengali daily Purbodesh and the other the cine weekly Chitrali. Allthese dailies and a weekly were taken over by the Government. But management ofthese papers created all sorts of difficulties.

Since these papers were well organized, both financially and editorially,and since they all had modern printing machinery, they gained a tremendous boostin circulation immediately after Liberation. In the absence of management, thesepapers were at one time run by the journalists and other employees.

In Da.inik, employees formed a cooperative and ran the paper quitesuccessfully for several months continuously. Later, government appointed adminis­trators for each paper separately. In one building, in the Observer House, fouradministrators used at one time to sit under one roof.

Immediately after Libera.tion, Ittefaq suffered a tremendous setback incirculation because of its loss of face politically. Ittefaq's circulation camedown to a few thousand only and continued that way for about a year. It picked upthe lost thread in circulation only in the latter part of 1973.

Sangbad's progress was slow but ste~. It ~ost two of its most seniormen, and effective men at that, in the Liberation war. Similarly, Ittefaq lost one,Observer two, Purbodesh one, FPA (a news agency) one, Freelancer (BBC reporter) one,Morning News one and Da.inik none. One most remarkable feature of newspapering duringthis period was that the papers did not have to depend on West Pakistan foradvertisements.

Major industries being nationalized, the Government became chief ownerand sole distributor of all advertisements. Those able to rub shoulders with thehighups in the administration got the lion's share of advertisements.

ANNEXE

24 -

( Cont' d.)

There was a rat-race for nel'lSpaper p1JlJlication but, at the same time,sincere efforts were made to establish well-organized newspapers. During thisperiod there appeared Bangla.r Bani and Bangladesh Times, both owned, edited andpublished by Sheikh Fozlul Raq liIoni, nephew of Sheikh MUjib. Another publicationto appear was the "Gano Kantha." (Voice of the People). The only daily o.mad a.ndp1JlJlished by a political party in Bangladesh, it gained tremendous popularity becauseof its opposition role during Mujib's time.

Aza.d has lost its verve and tone. Its circulation dwindled to only afew thousand. The old Aza.d is dead.

During the later part of 1974, new changes in the political field werein the offing. MUjib was ewlving new political strategies to consolidate nel'rlygained Independence.

Sweeping changes took place in June 1975. Baksal (Bangladesh KrishakSramik Awami League - Bangladesh Peasants and ~Vorkers Awami Lea.gu.e) was formed.The declara.tion of all nel'lSpapers (dailies and weeklies) was annulled. Only fourpapers, two English and two BengaJ.i dailes, survived this stormy cha.D.ge.

The management of the Observer, Times, Ittefaq and Dainik went undera Board of Management formed by an ordinance. Thus came into being a unifiedbody for the government-owned newspapers in June 1975.

The late Mr. A. Ghani Raza.ri, a reno.med expert in newspaper management,was appointed first Chairman of this Board. Its present Chairman, Mr. EhteshamRaider Chowdhery, was fomerly Editor of Purbodesh.

Just after two months of the a.nnulment of declaration and subsequentrepublication of four dailies, Mujib was killed in an amed coup. Khondker !.1ushta.quecame to po..rer. One month after his asS'UlIlption of power he released Ittefaq fromgovernment control; later he released Sa.ngba.d also. Aza.d, Sangram and. other 101ufossildailies came out only in 1978.

Journalists got the first rla.ge Board Award in Bangladesh in 1977, overtwo thousand people coming under the direct benefit of this Award. All printersworking in the newspapers are also beneficiaries of this Award.

(end of article by Mr. Lutfor Rabman).

unit:

- 25 -

ANNEX B

Estimate for Printing Unit

The following are basic essentials of a small litho-offset printing

A. Printing Ma.chiner:r

Heidelberg Offset Printing Press Kord

Klimsch vertical offset camera n 3

!O.imsch platemaker Bikop

Iaimsch developing tank ( with refrigeration unit)

Klimsch fi:cing sink

IO.imsch plate developing table

Total

Ap'Oro:x:imate 'Oricein U.S. ~

50,000

6,000

1,3003,0002,000

1,500

B. TTpesetting Machinery

Execuwriter, direct keyboard, up to 12 pt type

Universal II (6-24 pt type)

Universal IV (up to 12 pt type)

(These types are all available from the CompusamCorporation, Wilmington, Mass.)

Approximate prices for alternative mt composingmachines:

8,000

28,00038,000 (June 16 price)

IBM Selectric 3,500

IBM Electronic (with automatic justification) 15,000

The advantage of a Universal IV is that it would not be necessar:r to bu;radditionally a headline setting machine. It is not known if the abovemachines are available with Benga.li keyboa.rds. But almost all journalistsin Bangladesh are bi-linguaJ, BengaJ.i-English.

- 26

ANNEX .B (CoIIt'd.)

Additionally, it would be necessar,r to purchase a light table(approximate cost $ 1,500).

In a report in 1976 giving plans and specifications for a proposed ne\VInstitute of Mass Conununications in Africa, the Consultant wrote: "The Heidelbergpress is regarded as being an esseIItial. part of the equipment of the Institute,together with the type-setting machinery. Diploma Course students must be taughtpractical.ly how to produce a newspaper, magazine or brochure; how to write headlines,plan a.nd. make up pages (news and features and photos). The graduate of such a courseshould be capable of producing a small newspaper or magazine with a professionalfinish."

The composing machines reconunended do not require trained priIIters tooperate them. With a little training, they can be operated by a:rJ,y good professional.typist.

A printing unit is in an,y case considered by the Institute to benecessar,r in connection with its ultimate plans to print and publish books - anarea for s"tud;y by ConsultaIIt 2.

•

- 27 -

ANNEX C

Possible Sources of Aid

UEDP/Unesco; bila;teraJ. aid from friendly countries, inside and.outside the Commonwealth; the International Press Institute (I.P.I.); theCommonwealth Press Union (C.P.U.) through the Commonwealth Finance DevelopnentCorporation (C.F.D.C.); national and international agencies and foundations.

Countries which have directly or indirectly helped press developmentand/or journa.listic tra.illi.ng in developing countries include the United Kingdom,the United States of America, Federal RepUblic of GeIma.n;r, Austria., Sweden, Norwayand. Denmark and. the Netherlands.

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ANNEX D

The Chittagong Course

The Chittagong course was marked by tremendous enthusiasm on the partof' the participants, all of' ''thom came f'rom local nevlSpapers or BSS, and was wa.nnlywelcomed by all the local newspaper editors. Students worked hard on a course whichcrammed into two weeks enough material f'or a course of' f'rom f'our to six weeks.

Time limitations meant that the course instructors were not able to puton as ma.n;r exercises and practical tests as they would have liked or to do muchin the way of' individual tutorial work.

The aim was to try to condense into the two weeks the fundamentals of'journalistic practice - all aspects of reporting, interviewing, press conf'erencework, reporting on industry and agriculture, feature writing and developmentjournalism, plus a little about newspaper design and. presentation and sUb-editing.

Practical exercises included a visit to a hydro-electric scheme and apaper mill, on which students wrote reporls. For another exercise, s"tuden"ts weredivided into groups, each of' which did a team work investigation-research into topicsof' major local interes"t: the extent of' the mosquito pest, market prices and suddenshortages. 'Vlell-presented group reporls resulted from these investigations.

The students were also asked to investigate and reporl upon the problemsof' the press in Chitta.gong. Af'ter interviewing exhaustively their owners and editorsthey came up with some interesting answers and their reporls are well worlh st~ngas background to the problems of' 'the press. One of their recommendations was thestrengthening of' the local of'f'ice of' the P.I.D. (Public In:fonnation Department).

The Consultant was pleased to have the opporlunity of' working closelytrith his Bangladeshi journalistic colleagues on this course. Previously he had.taken a full part in debating with his Dacca colleagues the pattern of' the course,thus providing him with a usef'ul insight into the workings of' the Institute's E:l:perlStud;y' Group, or "Syllabus committee".

The course was conducted partly in English and partly in Benga.l.i. Therewere advantages and disadvan"tages about this but, on the vlhole, it seemed to work outwell.

..

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ANNEX E

Recommendations for Fellowshi'Os

The Pro ject Document provided for Fellowships by P. I.B. sta;f'f membersas follows:

Study tour of Director-Generaland. two Directors

Stud;r tour 0 f two other sta;f'fmembers of the P.I.B.

Asian region,Europe and.U.S.A..

Undetermined

Two weeks for ~,three weeks each forthe Directors

Possibly 12 weekseach. Tlle need forthis tour to bedetermined by Con­sultants ill consul­tation ~dth P.I.B.officials.

1.

'I!h.e following Fellol-mhips a.re now recommended:

. Di-:-ector of Si:udies and Training (Mr•.4..T. Khan)

I

Four weeks in Europe, the U.S.A. and Asia. 'I!h.e Euro'Oean visit to include:Londo:l, for contacts with the C.P.U. (Commonwealth Press Union), I.F.I. (Interna­tional Press Institute), National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ),the Press Council; the Overseas Development Ministry and. the Central Office ofInfonnation; Paris, primarily for discussions with Unesco officials concerned withmass communication and the free and balanced flow of infonnation, also to~Unesco librar,r.

'I!h.e U.S.A. visit to be primarily to Nel'1 Yor,.{ and to include a visitto the Columbia. University (post-graduate) School of Journalism a.zJd. the WorldPress Institute (possibly also taking in the Washington Press Club) and U.N.Read.qua.rters, with appropriate appointments, a.nd either East-West Canter, Hal'1a.ii,or Stanfo!"d. University, Cal.

'I!h.e~ visit to include r~a.nil~ Singa:core a.nd Kuala Lumtror. Visitsto Press Foundation of Asia, the main English-language newspapers of Singaporeand Malaysia, Malaysia's Bernama news agency, the AI:BD (Asian Institute of Broad­casting Development) at Kuala Ll.1l111'UI', the Singapore School of Journalism. Dates forthis tour to be arranged.

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2. Librarian-reporter

AHNEX E (Conttd.)

Attachment to Press Foundation of Asia in Manila, for nine vreeks, tostudy systems. of documentation, archives and library organization, follot'1ed or •preceded by three weeks on atta.c1:lment to the nevl'S library of one of the mainLondon nevl'Spapers or nevl'S agencies. Proposed timing: from October 1979.

3. Study tour for Director of Administration, and Research (M:r. LutforRabman). Left open for recommendation by Consultant lIo. 2, on Research and.Documentation.

4. Study tour of the Director~neral. Left open, for consideration aftersubstantive appointment has been made.

5. Need for study tour by another P.l.B. staff member. Left open forconsideration by Consultant No. 2. ~1a:x:imum time for this study-tour, 11 .reeks.

~: The ad.di.tion of one week to the st1.1d;7 tour for the Directorof Studies and Training (as against three weeks, originally envisaged) iscompensated by the reduction of a possible study tour of staff member (5) frommaximum of 12 weeks to maximum of 11 ':'leeks.

•

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ANNEX F

Press Councils

The objects of the British Press Council are:

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

(v)

(vi)

(vii)

to preserve the established freedom of the British Press;

to maintain the character of the !lritish Press in accordance with thehighest professionaJ. and commercial standards;

to consider complaints about the conduct of the Press or the conductof persons and organizations towards the Press; to deal with thesecomplaints in whatever manner might seem practical and appropriate andrecord resultant action;

to keep under review developments likely to restrict the supply ofinfomation of public interest and importance;

to report publicly on developments that ma;r tend towards greaterconcentration or monopoly in the Press (including changes in ownership,control and growth of Press undertakings) and. to publish statisticalinformation relating thereto;

to make representations on appropriate occasions to the Government organsof the United Nations and to Press organizations abroad;

to publish periodical reports recording the Council r s work and toreview them from time to time, developments in the Press and factorsaffecting them.

(6)

•

,

The main functions of India's Press Council 1,iark II, replacing the muchcriticized Mark I which was abolished by the Government of India in 1976, are(a.ccordiD.g to the U.K. Press Gazette of 13 November 1978):

to help newspapers and news agencies to maintain their independence;

to build a code of conduct in conformity with high professional standards;

to ensure maintenance of high standards of public taste and foster a senseof both rights and responsibilities of citizenship;

to encourage the development of a sense of public service among thepractitioners of journalism;

to reviel"1 constantly tendencies likely to restrict -the supply and dissemina.­tion of news of public interest and importance;

to review continuously the now of foreign resources to nel"lSpapers ornews agencies;

(7) to look into the ownership pattern of newspapers or neliS agencies i'lhichma;y- impinge on the freedom of the Press.

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ANNEX G

BSS Communications ProoosaJ.s

Two schemes have been outlined to solve the internal communicationproblems of BSS. One is for a one-way transmission of BSS news through theregular Radio Bangladesh voice and music broadcasts with the help of Ba.rrJMultiplex tra.nsmi.t-and-rece i ve equipment. The other is a system of Kli2000CATsingle sideband transceivers to connect BSS newsgathering centres throughoutthe country-.