Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday urged the United Nations (UN) to develop an effective mechanism to fight disinformation and support the media in maintaining ethical standards.The chief adviser made the call when Susan Vize, head of office and Unesco representative to Bangladesh, and Mehdi Benchelah, senior project officer, Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists Section, Unesco, called on him at the State Guest House Jamuna.The Unesco officials met the chief adviser ahead of the launch of a report titled “An Assessment of Bangladesh’s Media Landscape: Focusing on Free, Independent and Pluralistic Media,” jointly prepared by UNDP and Unesco.

“We are really looking forward to the report,” said the chief adviser.“Our main problem is disinformation, fake news... Some of this disinformation is spread by people living outside; some local people are involved. It’s a continuous bombardment,” Yunus said.

Mentioning that regular media houses are also a source of much disinformation alongside digital platforms, the chief adviser sought a UN role in the fight against it and said: “You just don’t talk with the government; you also talk with media.”

He said independent regulation is necessary, adding that if a media outlet continues to spread disinformation, it should be reminded that it is not trustworthy.

“You are the UN. Your words are very important… We need your support,” he said. Vize said the report launching on Thursday will highlight the issue of self-regulation, among other things.

“The report is about what is working, what is not working, and the assessment holds important recommendations aligned with international standards. There will be a need to train officials, law enforcers, and the judiciary to better align their practices with this standard,” she said.

Benchelah said the report will also make some recommendations about journalists’ working conditions, which is a global concern, and the safety of female journalists in newsrooms.

Key government action can have a huge influence in these matters, he said.

The report has been prepared under the framework of UNDP’s Strengthening Institutions, Policies and Services (SIPS) project and in alignment with Unesco’s mandate to promote freedom of expression and media development, said the officials.