Role of Media in National Security
Recently, Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS) hosted a roundtable on the ‘Role of Media in National Security’ at the Westin, Dhaka. Major General A N M Muniruzzaman, ndc, psc (retd), President, BIPSS, moderated the event. The speakers of the event were Zafar Sobhan, Editor of Dhaka Tribune, Sudeep Chakravarty, Director of the Center for South Asian Studies (C-SAS), and Brigadier General Shahedul Anam Khan (Retd). The roundtable was attended by ambassadors, foreign diplomats, officials, retired civil and military bureaucrats, academics, and media persons.
‘The role of media in national security is multifaceted. It acts as a beacon of truth, an agent of accountability, and a defender of the public interest’, said Major General ANM Muniruzzaman in his opening remark. Meanwhile, Zafar Sobhan shared the importance of ensuring accountability in which media plays a critical role. According to Sudeep Chakravarty, people in the armed forces know better what is happening on the ground, and incorporating media would give them the scope to portray the correct information. For Brigadier General Shahedul Anam Khan, national security is the ability of the state to address coercive influence in functions for the betterment of society.
The roundtable ended with an interactive session with the attendees.
