Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday told top editors of the country that he wants the media to function with full freedom, and write without any hesitation if the interim government makes any mistake.

The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam and Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said this to reporters in separate briefings at the state guest house Jamuna and Foreign Service Academy respectively.

Deputy Press Secretaries Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Apurba Jahangir were also present at the second briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy.

"It's very important. He (Chief Adviser) requested us to write without any hesitation," Anam said, noting that now they have truly found a media-friendly government. "We are very delighted," he added.

Quoting the Chief Adviser, his Press Secretary Alam said Prof Yunus reiterated that he believes in media freedom and the interim government wants to see a vibrant media landscape.

During the meeting with the editors, Prof Yunus expressed his firm belief in the power of free press and urged the media to be vocal and transparent in their coverage. The Chief Adviser also stressed the importance of establishing a national consensus and unity through writings.

He encouraged the editors to remain unflinching in pointing out mistakes in all aspects of government operations.

Repressive clauses of the Digital Security Act and Cyber Security Act were also discussed while the editors proposed an immediate suspension of these clauses, particularly those used to suppress journalists, with a commitment to reform them over time.

The editors collectively emphasised the need for constitutional reforms, including the empowerment of local governments.

They also brought up the reformation of autonomous bodies like the Anti-Corruption Commission, Human Rights Commission, and Election Commission to transform them into truly pro-people organisations.

They especially talked about the Election Commission so that elections in the future can be a true reflection of the voters' will.

There was a suggestion for forming a committee to explore further constitutional reforms, including judicial independence and police reform, to ensure a stronger democratic framework in the country.

Mahfuz Anam said there was discussion on making BTV, BSS and Bangladesh Betar autonomous so that journalists there can work professionally.

Shafiqul Alam said there were suggestions for removal of black laws.

Reasonable Tenure

The Chief Adviser wanted to hear from top editors of the country regarding a "reasonable" tenure for the interim government, as discussed with political parties earlier.

He did not mention any specific timeline, but he listened to all, noting that it is a "lifetime opportunity" to repair the state and strengthen the institutions.

During the meeting with Chief Adviser Prof Yunus, several editors suggested that the tenure of the Interim Government could be around two to three years, said Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam.

"Most editors, however, said the tenure of the Interim Government should be determined by the time needed to carry out vital reforms," he said.

Some of the editors talked about two years as a "reasonable" tenure for the interim government, while some said the interim government's reform initiatives should determine the reasonable tenure.

Deputy Press Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumder said the Chief Adviser earlier wanted to know from political parties what reforms should be prioritised.

"Today, editors shared their ideas. The discussion was recorded and each adviser will listen to the opinions shared by the editors," he said while briefing reporters along with Press Secretary Alam and Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir at Foreign Service Academy.

One of the major outcomes of the discussion with the political parties was a reasonable timeframe for the government to carry out reforms before the next election.

The Press Secretary said the Chief Adviser and the editors talked about national unity and laid emphasis on proper reforms.

"Political parties talked about reasonable time. He (Chief Adviser) wanted to know directly from the editors what that means," said the Press Secretary.

Issues related to rewriting or amending the constitution were also discussed.

"It's a major opportunity and this opportunity needs to be utilised properly," Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam quoted Prof Yunus as saying.

There was also a proposal to form a Media Commission in the meeting. Twenty editors joined the meeting.

The meeting was held at the state guest house Jamuna. Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, The New Age Editor Nurul Kabir, Daily Jugantor Editor Saiful Alam, The Business Standard Editor Enam Ahmed, and Kalbela Editor Santosh Sharma, among others, were present at the meeting.