Editors’ Council Chief Calls for Collective Effort, Preserving Media Plurality

Editors’ Council President and New Age Editor Nurul Kabir on Saturday emphasized that maintaining diverse opinions in society is essential for a healthy democracy.

“People will have different views and express themselves in different ways. Preserving this diversity is very important,” he said while delivering the welcome speech at the Media Conference 2026, held at the Krishibid Institution in Dhaka and organized by the Editors’ Council and the Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB).

Nurul Kabir stressed that unity among media professionals is equally crucial. “Media organizations are not just platforms for hundreds of journalists. If they become inactive or fail to raise their voices, the rights of the wider society are at risk,” he noted.

He added that a country’s media development and overall democratic progress are closely linked. Referring to the current political context, he said Bangladesh is transitioning from an authoritarian system to a democratic one, and media institutions are facing attacks amid ongoing reforms.

Nurul Kabir also criticized attempts to distort the spirit of the July movement, saying, “Those involved are trying to destroy the fundamental democratic essence of July by using July itself. Unity and a conscious collective struggle are necessary at this critical time.”

The conference featured speeches by editors of leading newspapers, including The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam and Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman. National Press Club President Hasan Hafiz was also among the speakers. The event was moderated by Editors’ Council General Secretary and Banik Barta Editor Dewan Hanif Mahmud.