Dhaka: President Abdul Hamid on Friday urged the mass media to do constructive criticisms of the government which can help it take the right decisions in running its everyday affairs and building the nation. Reports UNB.

‘The courage to call the ‘white’ as ‘white’ and the ‘black’ as ‘black’ can take a journalist to the peak of his or her professional excellence. You should criticise the activities of the government, even of me. But, you should remember it has to be based on information,’ he said.

He said this while addressing a programme marking the 25th anniversary of English daily The Daily Star at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.

Free flow of information and freedom of expression are important for the flourishment of the mass media, said President Hamid adding, ‘You must keep in mind freedom doesn’t mean doing anything as per one’s sweet will. No right has been given to interfere in others’ freedom for maintaining freedom of one. So, we must be conscious while performing duties...self-censorship has to be exercised...one has to be aware so that no one from outside can interfere in our mass media.’

Mentioning that the present government believes in the freedom of press, he said, ‘We want the newspapers to work for the welfare of the country and its people by using their freedom properly. Any type of attack on the newspapers is also a threat to democracy. Journalists must face the evil forces together.’