Bagmati Media Conference Concludes with 12-Point Hetauda Declaration

Hetauda. The 'Bagmati Media Conference' has concluded with the issuance of a 12-point Hetauda Declaration-2083. The conference, organized by the Federation of Nepali Journalists Bagmati Province Committee, which began on Jestha 22, concluded on Jestha 24, Thursday, with the public release of the declaration.

The conference has committed to upholding full press freedom, democracy, human rights, and the professional interests of journalists. The declaration strongly demands that the federal government withdraw its discriminatory advertising policy towards media outlets and implement policy reforms to promote independent media.

The declaration construction committee, chaired by Shyam Khatiwada, secretary of the Federation of Nepali Journalists Bagmati Province Committee, has demanded an end to the practice of filing criminal charges against journalists under the Electronic Transactions Act based solely on their news reports. 

The government's attention has been drawn to creating an environment for journalists to have unimpeded access to information and to end the threats, detentions, and surveillance they face. The conference has demanded that the government at all three levels guarantee professional security by enrolling journalists in the contribution-based social security fund.

Similarly, local levels across the province have been requested to develop small investment media as industries and to arrange for local advertisements to be distributed to local media outlets.

Along with media issues, the conference also raised issues of economic and infrastructure development in Bagmati Province. The conference has demanded the reopening of the closed Hetauda Textile Industry and the sick Hetauda Cement Factory, among other industries, to create employment.

The conference has urged the federal and provincial governments to develop Hetauda (Makwanpur), the capital of Bagmati Province, as a tourist city and to build the necessary permanent infrastructure. It has been urged to create a participatory environment in media houses by adopting a policy of positive discrimination based on gender, minority, and physical ability.

While supporting the government's steps to promote good governance, the conference suggested moving forward through democratic methods rather than the path of autocracy. The conference has also demanded that the government ensure the possession rights of the buildings of various district branches of the Federation of Nepali Journalists.