The ongoing debate on the proposed amendment of the Bangladesh Press Council Act appears to be quite strange, as the initiator of the amendment, the Council itself, has been embroiled in  controversy. Its refusal to share the latest draft amendment, which has been approved in principle by the cabinet, despite being requested by the highest body of professional journalists - the Editors Council - raises serious questions about the Press Council’s the intention. The move first came to light in early April, when the current chairman of the Press Council, Justice Nizamul Haque Nasim, announced publicly that the law would contain provisions for penalising journalists up to Tk 10 lakh for false reporting. However, the cabinet, while giving its nod to the amendments, has reportedly changed the terms of penalties.   The current controversy over the proposed legislation seems to be revolving around following questions: 1) What is the reason for a sudden rush to amend the existing ...