Quick Facts
Biography
Abul Kalam Azad is a Member of Parliament and former information minister of Bangladesh.
Career
He serves as the Member of Parliament for Jamalpur District. From 2009 to 2013, he served as the Minister of Information.
Controversy
Censorship
In 2009, when he was inaugurated as minister of information, he promised journalists that the government would ensure right to information and freethinking in Bangladesh and sought "constructive criticism" from editors in the print and electronic media. However, in 2010, he changed his stance and ordered that the government would enact a law to curb what he term "yellow journalism". Analysts say such laws were only enacted to curb the freedom of the press and dissident voices.
Intra-party feud
In 2015, he was sent a show cause order by his own party, the Bangladesh Awami League for working against party policy and supporting a rebel candidate.