Talks on with foreign broadcaster over three- to six-month training for journalists: information state minister

Photo: Collected

Talks are under way on whether an internationally known foreign broadcaster could set up a training centre in Bangladesh, State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Chowdhury has said. In the same discussion, he also urged students to stay alert to stop misinformation, false information and motivated propaganda on social media.

The state minister said this at a views-exchange meeting with students of North South University’s Department of Media and Communication on Tuesday. He also said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is working to create opportunities for young people to play a role in stopping propaganda about Bangladesh and spreading accurate information.

According to the state minister, social media is now an extremely powerful means of communication worldwide. The government is working to ensure that propaganda or false information does not spread there and that no motivated campaign is run against Bangladesh. Importance is also being given to getting accurate information to ordinary people.

Highlighting the government’s work on fact-checking and on countering misinformation and disinformation, he said there is scope to involve students in this work as well.

Yasser Khan Chowdhury said that, on the instructions of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the ministry is working to protect press freedom so that the media can work independently. Regular exchanges of views with various journalists’ organisations are also being held to further strengthen the media.

Training centre initiative

The state minister spoke of an initiative to set up a training centre with international cooperation to improve the professional skills of journalists and journalism students. If the initiative is implemented, journalism students and working journalists will be able to take long-term training lasting three to six months.

In his view, one- or two-day training does not work; what is needed is long-term, hands-on training of international standard. This will improve the professional skills of the country’s journalists and also open the way for them to qualify to work in the international media.

He also spoke of his experience working in the IT and broadcasting department of the BBC in the United Kingdom before entering politics. The state minister said it was from that experience that he gained an understanding of the working methods and professional standards of international broadcasters.

He expressed hope that young people from Bangladesh will reach important positions in local and foreign media. Not just in the media, but in whatever profession they are in, the state minister hoped young people would rise to good positions through their skills and abilities and contribute to the country’s development.

Proposals from teachers and students

At the meeting, a North South University teacher proposed involving the university’s teachers and students in applied research in the media and journalism sector. He believes the university’s experience could be used to research various problems of the media and journalism and to find practical solutions. The teacher also expressed interest in working jointly with the ministry.

The students shared their experience of visiting various activities of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Press Information Department (PID). They expressed satisfaction at gaining first-hand experience of media operations, news presentation, information gathering and broadcast management.

Second-semester students said that by visiting the ministry and the Press Information Department they had learned some practical aspects of the media that cannot be learned from classroom study. They believe this experience will be useful in their future careers. The students also sought the ministry’s cooperation in research, training and improving professional skills in journalism and media.

Principal Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed, Additional Secretary of the ministry Md Shah Alam and other officials concerned were present.

Background

The same state minister told the Jatiya Sangsad in early September that the government had taken up a project for automated fact-checking — the Daily Inqilab reported this on 4 September 2026.

Before that, on 20 April, at a BSRF dialogue at the Secretariat, he said the government does not believe in controlling the media — Prothom Alo published the remarks that day.

At a glance

According to Wikipedia, Yasser Khan Chowdhury, MP for Mymensingh-9, took charge as State Minister for Information and Broadcasting on 17 February 2026.

Sources

Background sources: Daily Inqilab, 4 September 2026; Prothom Alo, 20 April 2026; Wikipedia, November 2026