Justice and Democracy Party (JDP) convener Naeem Ahmad stated that if Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were alive, Bangladesh would still have only four newspapers, all edited by him. He made the remarks on Tuesday at a discussion held at Madhur Canteen to mark Newspaper Black Day. Ahmad argued that Mujib would not have allowed media outlets such as Jamuna Television, Amar Desh, or Prothom Alo to operate and linked the closure of several media houses to divine justice.

He further said that even after the mass uprising, media freedom had not flourished, alleging that many outlets had become rehabilitation and protection centers for the Awami League. Ahmad warned that some of these “media leagues” were now trying to portray the BNP as fascist and urged vigilance. He lamented that only four newspapers—Dainik Bangla, Bangladesh Observer, Ittefaq, and Bangladesh Times—had been allowed during Mujib’s era, calling them mouthpieces of BAKSAL.

Speakers at the event, including JDP and National Student Forum representatives, called for building a free, truthful, and people-centered media and condemned attacks on outlets such as Prothom Alo and Amar Desh.