Reverse southward flow of information

"We need to retain our national, sub-regional and regional standards while keeping pace with the globalisation. We have to protect and uphold the values of our respective religion, culture and heritage," he said opening a

two-day meeting of national radio and television chiefs of Saarc countries.

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The minister said the unprecedented growth of information technology has turned the globe into a village bringing all the nations and peoples closer together, but the Asia-Pacific region still finds it at the receiving end.

"Now it is time for us to gather our pieces together and direct our own flows within and beyond the region," he added.

Twenty-three delegates from the Saarc countries including two Saarc secretariat representatives are taking part in the meeting hosted by Bangladesh information ministry.

The first meeting of the Heads of National Radio and Television Organisations of Saarc countries was held in New Delhi in 1999 and the second one in Islamabad last year.

Information Secretary Nazmul Alam Siddiqui, Director General of Bangladesh Television Mostafizur Rahman and Director General of Bangladesh Betar and Convenor of the organising committee of the meeting Jafar Ahmed Chowdhury also spoke at the inaugural session.

Tariqul said the South Asian nations experience common realities which were not evident in the western world and therefore "We need to set our common standards and evolve a common strategy of co-operation at sub-regional and regional level and adapt them to the global trend."

Nazmul Alam said the government media could play a vital role as a "facilitating and participatory institution rather than the controlling and regulatory body to express the government's views and project its development activities."

"The government considers the media as an important vehicle for social development," he added.

The two-day meeting, among other things, is to review the decisions of the past two meetings and the follow up actions on the Saarc Audio Visual Exchange Programme held in Thimpu last month.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Jafar Ahmed told the BSS that the delegates were expected to fix specific measures for regional co-operation among the member countries to optimise the use of electronic media for the welfare of the common people.

He said the meeting would also decide on the steps to run Saarc news for radios and Saarc round up for televisions, organise Saarc film festivals, video film festivals for children and exchange of radio and TV programmes.