Sam Zahan Resigns from Press Accreditation Policy Reform Committee

Staff Reporter

Sam Zahan, founder convener of Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media (BJIM), announced his resignation from the committee formed to review and reform the Press Accreditation Policy 2022. In a Facebook post shared on his verified profile late Thursday, Zahan cited disagreements with the final draft of the policy as the reason for his decision.

In his post, Zahan addressed his fellow journalists, stating, “As you may already know, I was a member of the committee tasked with reviewing and reforming the Press Accreditation Policy 2022, representing journalists working in international media. However, I completely disagree with the final draft that was prepared after three meetings.”

He further explained that he had submitted a written proposal on behalf of at least 85 journalists, incorporating their feedback. None of these suggestions were included in the draft. Additionally, the final meeting allowed insufficient time for a thorough discussion before finalizing the policy.

Zahan refrained from disclosing the contents of the draft as it has yet to be published but warned that unless it is revised to be logical, practical, and timely, it risks backfiring.

He called on the authorities to revisit the draft and make it future-proof, emphasizing that the policy, in its current form, could become a significant obstacle to journalism.

The committee was formed on January 16, 2025, under the leadership of Presidential Press Secretary Md. Sarwar Alam, comprising 17 members tasked with reassessing the 2022 policy.

Zahan expressed concerns that if the policy is passed without amendments, it could become a tool for misuse by future political regimes, endangering press freedom.

“I strongly object to this policy and have voluntarily resigned from the committee,” Zahan concluded in his statement.