India, B'desh Press Councils for visa-free regime for journos

The Press Councils of India and Bangladesh have decided to work towards ensuring that accredited journalists from both countries should be allowed "visa-free" entry into each other's territory.
Officials said that Press Council of India (PCI) chairperson Justice (retd) C K Prasad recently led a delegation to Bangladesh where it was decided that the Press Councils of the two countries would enter into a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the field of journalism.
The two press councils also decided to closely interact with each other to promote freedom of press and improve the standard of journalism in each other's country.

Both the press councils also decided to strive for visa-free professional visits to each other's country by the accredited media persons, according to a joint statement signed on September 29.
"This was for the first time the PCI delegation went to a foreign country and held bilateral discussions," said C K Nayak, a Press Council member, who was a part of the delegation.
"The two press councils have also resolved to promote non-violent and peace journalism to reduce conflict," said Rajeev Ranjan Nag, who too was a member of the delegation that visited Bangladesh.
According to the joint statement, the two councils also sought to "strive for expanding the jurisdiction of press councils to media councils incorporating electronic, broadcast, online and all other forms of media."

They also decided to take steps to make the press councils or media councils more proactive.