The information minister said these things in his speech as the chief guest at a dialogue held at a hotel in the capital today, Tuesday. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), German international development agency GIZ and the Norwegian government organised the dialogue titled 'Information Integrity and Social Cohesion in Bangladesh: Policy, Platform Accountability and Collective Action'.
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The minister said the world of media and information in Bangladesh is changing rapidly. With the advancement of technology, opportunities for information flow have increased, but new challenges have also emerged. He emphasised the need for coordinated initiatives by the state, media, civil society and international development partners to tackle these challenges.
The Information and Broadcasting Minister said that in the present time, besides ensuring the free flow of information, it is very important to ensure the credibility and responsibility of information. With the rapid development of information technology and artificial intelligence, the scope of information is expanding, while tackling misinformation, disinformation and misleading information has also become a major challenge.
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He said international experience must be utilised to find effective solutions to these issues. He also remarked that Bangladesh must build its own capacities based on its reality and needs.
Drawing on the example of Frankenstein, the information minister said if technology ultimately goes beyond human control, a monstrous world may be created in the future that could eventually destroy us all.
Highlighting various government initiatives to modernise the media and information system, the information minister said coordination of research, policymaking, skill development and international cooperation is crucial in this regard.
He called for positive use of new-generation technologies, especially artificial intelligence, digital platforms and data-driven communication systems.
He further said media freedom, responsibility and the people's right to information must be considered in an integrated manner. At the same time, opportunities must be created to enhance the skills of media workers and enable them to adapt to new technologies.
The minister expressed hope that such initiatives by UNDP will play an important role in policy formulation and adopting effective action plans in the country's media sector.
Representatives of UNDP, media experts, journalists and representatives of development partner organisations participated in the dialogue.