Police-Media Workshop Begins in Dhaka

A three-day workshop has commenced in Dhaka aimed at strengthening professional cooperation between the Bangladesh Police and the media, focusing on freedom of expression, journalists' safety, and maintaining public order. Titled "Ensuring Freedom of Expression and Maintaining Public Order to Uphold Democracy and the Rule of Law," the workshop is being held at a hotel in the capital from June 16 to 18. Organized by UNESCO in collaboration with Bangladesh Police Headquarters under the UN Electoral Assistance project 'BALLOT', the program is being attended by 27 police officers and 16 journalists.

At the inaugural session, Additional Inspector General (HRM) of Bangladesh Police Headquarters, Khondkar Rafiqul Islam, BPM, PPM, emphasized, "Freedom of expression and maintaining public order are both fundamental pillars of a democratic society. Our challenge is to ensure these two objectives reinforce each other rather than conflict." Dr. Susan Vize, UNESCO Representative and Head of Office in Bangladesh, added, "Strong institutions and a strong media system should never be adversaries. They are partners in citizen welfare, freedom of expression, and establishing the rule of law." The session was moderated by Mohammad Saiful Islam, Additional DIG (Training-1) of Bangladesh Police Headquarters.

On the first day, discussions centered on international standards of free speech and police roles in protecting journalists. The second day will cover joint discussions on crisis communication, social media management, and practical exercises. On the final day, participants will draft practical recommendations for balancing public safety with press freedom, ensuring the safety of female journalists, and developing police-media relations. Notably, since 2013, UNESCO has trained over 13,000 law enforcement personnel worldwide on these crucial issues.

//DBTech/RRT/EK//