Dhaka – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday came down heavily on private television channels for their ’irresponsible attitude’ while covering the Gulshan restaurant attack and rescue operation, UNB news agency reported.
“I’ll ask them to be careful in the future…this is not a child’s play,” she said an irked Prime Minister.
Sheikh Hasina said this while formally inaugurating the four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway and Joydevour-Mymensingh highway at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).
She also criticised the talk-shows hosted by the private television channels that she said ultimately confused people over the issue.Hasina said when the law enforcement agency personnel were preparing to deal with the terror attack, the private television channels broadcast all their movements…even where they were going.
“Don’t these television channels think that with such broadcasts, the terrorists can also take and change their decisions seeing the law enforcers’ movements?” she questioned.
Later, the TV people were driven away from there and they were not allowed to enter the four-km area of the spot.
She also mentioned that no effective preparation could be taken as the television channels broadcast those live. “I saw such attitude of the TV channels during the BGB incident, too,” she said.
The Prime Minister asked the owners and key persons of the television channels to think about the matter.
During the recent attack in the USA where more than 30 people were killed CNN, BBC and other television channels did not show dead body or a drop of blood on their screen, Hasina mentioned.
She questioned about the impact of such broadcast on children, sick people and pregnant women. “You should think about the adverse effects on them,” she told the private television channels owners and key personnel.
The Prime Minister also questioned if the television channels broadcast all the preparations of an operation then how that operation would be successful! “We then were compelled to cut off the internet and cable connections of that area,” she said.
Hasina alleged that some TV people did not pay heed to the repeated requests of the law enforcement agency personnel to stop such broadcast. “I kept my eyes on them, I have memorised which channels ignored the advice…I’ll look into it in the future,” she said.
Hasina said it was she who gave the permission to the private television channels. “If I can give permission, then I can cancel that, too,” she said.
The Prime Minister mentioned that she will not tolerate any hindrance on her way to work. “I’ll urge all to be careful in the future,” she said.
