Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said criticism of the government was not a crime, but that statements against the state would be treated as an offence.
He made the remarks on 2 August at a discussion held for the anniversary of Dhaka University’s Mass Communication and Journalism Department.
Swapan said journalism had become an important and inseparable part of the state system despite not being a constitutional organ of the state.
He said the work of journalism extended beyond gathering information and seeking truth to using truth for public welfare.
Swapan said objectivity could be difficult to maintain when an individual or institution had predetermined goals.
He said journalism faced a difficult test when findings conflicted with personal ambitions or a pre-set position.
Discussing governance, he said the use of state power for public welfare or oppression depended on a ruler’s intent and outlook.
He said effective state administration could not move forward without accountability.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor A. B. M. Obaidul Islam attended as a special guest, while Nurul Kabir was the principal discussant.
The department’s acting chair, Kazi Mohammad Mahbub Rahman, chaired the event.