Consulting editor of The Daily Star Kamal Ahmed has said that if a country lacks a democratic culture and political tolerance, the media cannot function independently. He said that the absence of respect for dissent and democratic practice in the state and society is also being reflected negatively in the media.

He made the remarks this morning, Saturday, in his opening speech at the final day’s morning session of the ‘Bangladesh Journalism Conference 2026’ at a hotel in the capital. The topic of the session was ‘Politico-Governance Ecosystem and Free Media’.

The session was moderated by Shakhawat Liton, executive editor of The Business Standard. The two-day international conference was organised by the Media Resources Development Initiative (MRDI).

Kamal Ahmed said that although a window of opportunity for change had emerged following the end of a long period of governance, still there remains uncertainty over how effectively it will be utilised.