KHULNA, – Mayor of Khulna City Talukder Abdul Khaleque today termed the Al Jazeera’s recent documentary report on “All the Prime Minister’s Men” as an example of “bad journalism and people have already scorned it as it violated journalistic ethics in many ways and was made politically motivated and biased.
“Though the entire documentary was made centering a family, the title was “All the Prime Minister’s Men,” said the mayor while addressing a human chain as the chief guest.
Organised by Khulna Union of Journalists (KUJ), Khaleque, also President of City unit Awami League, said that the documentary was titled “All the Prime Minister’s Men” without any evidence is nothing but “bad journalism”.
‘The documentary which is politically motivated and biased can never be an example of investigative Journalism’, he said
“The documentary is based on some informal talks. No acceptable evidence was presented in the report and that is tantamount to bad and yellow journalism.
He, however, questioned the acceptability of the report as it did not have statements from the governments of the countries like Hungary, France and Malaysia – where the people were shown to have travelled with forged documents, passports and laundered money.
The mayor said the footage shown in the documentary was captured with hidden camera, which should not be done by a standard media outlet, the mayor said, adding, “The documentary goes against journalistic norms as there were no statements of the accused shown in it”.
Purchasing spyware is a government policy but the documentary showed no evidence of it being purchased from an Israeli company, Khaleque said, adding that the documentary deceitfully showed a blurred image of apparently Israeli officials, saying they did not want to be named.
The mayor said, “One of the interviewees in the hour-long documentary was punished by a Bangladeshi court.”
The Mayor also demanded a ban on controversial TV channel AL Jazeera in Bangladesh, saying, vested quarters in country and abroad has instigated to screen the partial fabricated story.
Chaired by KUJ president Munshi Md Mahbub Alam Sohag, City unit AL general secretary MDA Babul Rana, Khulna Press Club President S M Zahid Hossain, former President Mokbul Hossain Mintu, Journalists Mallick Sudhangsu, Mozammel Haque, Sunil Das, Asaduzzaman Reaz, City Unit Jubo League convener Shafiqur Rahman Palash, Chhatra League city unit general secretary Asaduzzaman Russel, among others, addressed.
