, June 4 -- Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad on Thursday underscored the importance of journalists as a bridge between Parliament and people, saying that lawmakers and media professionals must work together to move the country forward.

The current Parliament carries enormous public expectations and must remain closely connected to people, he said while speaking at an exchange of views with members of the executive committee of the Bangladesh Parliament Journalists' Association (BPJA) at his conference room in Parliament.

Calling for responsible journalism, he said media professionals should "call white white and black black" and provide constructive criticism to help make Parliament more effective.

The Speaker said the present Parliament was ...