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Abul Kalam Azad (politician, born 1939)

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Abul Kalam Azad
Member of the Bangladesh Parliament
for Baksiganj Upazila, Jamalpur-1[1]
In office
2009–Present
Personal details
BornBaksiganj Upazila, Jamalpur District, Bangladesh
Political partyBangladesh Awami League
OccupationPolitician

Abul Kalam Azad is a Member of Parliament and former information minister of Bangladesh.[2]

Career

He serves as the Member of Parliament for Jamalpur District.[3][2] From 2009 to 2013, he served as the Minister of Information.[4]

Controversy

Censorship

In 2009, when he was inaugurated as minister of information, he promised journalists that the government would ensure right to information and freethinking in Bangladesh and sought "constructive criticism" from editors in the print and electronic media.[5] However, in 2010, he changed his stance and ordered that the government would enact a law to curb what he term "yellow journalism". Analysts say such laws were only enacted to curb the freedom of the press and dissident voices.[6]

Intra-party feud

In 2015, he was sent a show cause order by his own party, the Bangladesh Awami League for working against party policy and supporting a rebel candidate.[4]

References

  1. ^ "List of 10th Parliament Members". Bangladesh Parliament. Bangladesh Parliament. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Abul Kalam Azad". Dhaka Tribune. Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Jamalpur District Information". Amardesh Online. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Notice for influence the administration". BD24Live. BD24Live. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Info minister pledges free media". The Daily Star. 14 January 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2016 – via Asia Media Archives.
  6. ^ "Bangladesh to enact law to curb 'yellow journalism'". Zee News. Indo-Asian News Service. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2016.