Media coverage and the War of 1971

The state of media in the '70s needs to be analysed to examine the importance of non-partisan reporting of news across the globe and its benefits for conflict resolution. Censorship exists in many forms, and censorship within the media is an issue that has spawned thousands of debates, especially in recent times.

Some say that media should be regulated to protect people from the backlash of their opinions, to protect children from explicit content and to remove social stigmas and negative influences. Conversely, it is also a widely held belief that once media is censored, it becomes a form of propaganda due to the government's bias, whether it is left or right-wing.

In her blog, Hana Shams Ahmed wrote that the birth of Bangladesh in 1971 'happened amidst widespread media blackout' due to the Pakistan Government's control of the national media.

When the military government was overthrown in Bangladesh, democracy was restored, thus giving the media the freedom to operate. While print media targets more urban areas, Bangladesh is a mostly rural country, and despite a modest circulation, the media plays a significant role and can have a strong impact on political outcomes.

In terms of broadcast media, telecommunications technology was not particularly developed and despite medium and short wave transmitters being installed, most radio facilities were destroyed during the Liberation War.