Government Seeks Youth Role in Combating Misinformation

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yaser Khan Chowdhury has urged students to remain vigilant against misinformation, false information and deliberate disinformation campaigns on social media. He said the ministry was working to create opportunities for young people to help counter misleading narratives about Bangladesh and promote accurate information. He also outlined an initiative to establish an internationally supported training centre to strengthen the professional skills of journalists and journalism students.

The state minister made the remarks during a courtesy meeting and exchange of views with students of the Media and Communication Department at North South University on Tuesday.

He described social media as an extremely powerful communication platform worldwide, stressing the need to prevent false information and malicious campaigns targeting Bangladesh from spreading through these channels. He said the government was also placing importance on ensuring that the public received accurate information.

The minister said the government was working on fact-checking and measures to prevent misinformation and disinformation. Students, he added, could also be given opportunities to participate in these efforts.

Yaser Khan Chowdhury said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was working under the direction of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to safeguard media freedom and ensure that media organisations could operate independently. He added that the ministry was holding regular discussions with different journalists’ organisations to strengthen the media sector.

The state minister also announced an initiative to establish a training centre through international cooperation to improve the professional capabilities of journalists and journalism students in Bangladesh.

He said discussions were underway with an internationally recognised foreign broadcaster about the possibility of setting up such a centre in Bangladesh. If implemented, the initiative could offer three- to six-month training programmes for journalism students and working journalists.

The minister emphasised that professional development required more than one- or two-day training sessions. He called for long-term, hands-on programmes aligned with international standards, saying these could improve journalists’ professional skills and help them qualify for opportunities at international media organisations.

Sharing his professional background, he said that before entering politics, he had worked in the IT and broadcasting departments of the BBC in the United Kingdom. The experience, he said, had given him insight into the working methods and professional standards of international broadcasting organisations.

He expressed his hope that young Bangladeshis would be able to reach influential positions in both domestic and international media. He added that, regardless of their chosen professions, young people could contribute to national development by building their skills and professional competence.

During the discussion, a North South University faculty member proposed involving the university’s students and teachers in applied research on media and journalism. The teacher said the university’s expertise could be used to investigate challenges facing the media and journalism sectors and develop practical solutions. The faculty member also expressed interest in joint initiatives with the ministry.

The students shared their experiences of visiting various activities and facilities of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Press Information Department (PID). They expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to gain practical insights into media operations, news presentation, information gathering and broadcasting management.

Speaking on behalf of the students, second-semester participants said the visits had helped them understand practical aspects of the media that could not be fully learned through classroom studies alone. They said the experience would be valuable for their future professional careers.

The students also sought the ministry’s support for research, training and professional skills development in journalism and media studies.

Chief Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed, Additional Secretary of the ministry Md Shah Alam and other relevant officials were present at the meeting.

//DBTech/MSPR/MSI/SMP//