Desk Report:
Timely legal reforms are essential to deal with the new reality created by the rapid development of technology, especially the spread of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan has said. He expects the cooperation of experts in the legal field, including the Law Reporters Forum, in formulating and reforming effective laws consistent with these changes.
The minister made this call while speaking as the chief guest at the Law Reporters Forum Annual General Meeting-2026 and Silver Jubilee function organized at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium in the capital on Friday (July 3, 2026).
Attorney General of Bangladesh Ruhul Quddus Kajal spoke as a special guest at the function chaired by Law Reporters Forum President Hasan Jabed and moderated by General Secretary Moniruzzaman Mission.
The Minister of Information and Broadcasting said that in a modern state, the media acts as a mirror of the state and society. The more objective and responsible the media is, the more citizens will be able to make decisions about the state and society based on accurate information. And the responsibility of legal journalists is even more important, because their role in building public trust and understanding about the activities of the judiciary is very significant.
He said that while technological advancements have made people’s lives easier, they have also created new types of complications. Verifying the authenticity of images, videos or information created through artificial intelligence and the legal position on these issues is now a topic of global discussion. In this reality, the Minister of Information commented that there is no alternative to quickly updating the existing laws.
The Minister said, “The law also needs to be transformed quickly in line with the rapid transformation of society. But in reality, the pace of legal reform is still very slow. Lawyers, judges, researchers and legal journalists will have to work together to bridge this gap.”
He said that the government has already started working to reform the cyber law. He is serving as a member of the cabinet committee formed in this regard.
The Information Minister said that the government has taken this initiative with the aim of formulating a modern, effective and realistic legal framework.
Zahir Uddin Swapan said, “The government will soon receive necessary opinions and recommendations from legal experts and professional organizations like the Law Reporters Forum. We need your knowledge and experience to formulate effective and implementable laws that are compatible with technological changes.”
He told the members of the Law Reporters Forum that the annual general meeting should not be limited to organizational or financial accounting; rather, it should initiate an effective thinking and action plan on the future of law and judiciary in the new technology-based reality.
The Information and Broadcasting Minister said, “Without data, any information is nothing but opinion.”
He said, the main responsibility of the media is to determine a clear difference between information, opinion, speculation and reality. Objectivity should be the only criterion, especially in legal journalism.
He expressed hope that the Law Reporters Forum will play a more important role in the future in building a human welfare-oriented and effective legal framework in line with the rapid changes in technology and science.
Barrister Nasir Uddin Asim, Barrister Shishir Monir, former President of the Law Reporters Forum Salehuddin, and other prominent lawyers and media personalities spoke at the event.
