Dhaka, Oct. 1 -- A lesson from years of Awami League rule stands above all others for Bangladesh's information minister: attempts to silence the media ultimately fail.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Andaleeve Rahman Partho said the government is committed to freeing the press and treating media freedom as an essential pillar of democracy, not a privilege to be rationed.

"Our lesson from the previous Awami League government is simple: set the media free; let the press do its job," Partho said in an exclusive interview with bdnews24.com -- his first extended sit-down since joining Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's cabinet on Aug 21.

"You cannot retain power by stifling voices or exerting pressure. The former 'fascist' regime tried e...