DFP sidelined as new body steps in to map real newspaper circulation

The government is stripping the Department of Films and Publications (DFP) of its long-held authority to determine newspaper circulation numbers, following years of allegations regarding manipulation, nepotism, and financial anomalies in state advertisement distribution.

In a major shake-up aimed at restoring transparency, a high-powered 10-member special committee is being formed to independently investigate and verify the actual circulation of daily newspapers. Under the new framework, the DFP will have no direct role in determining the ranking or circulation tier of publications, top ministry sources confirmed.

Speaking on the development, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon said the government is committed to eliminating deep-rooted irregularities in the media sector.

"The current administration will not tolerate corruption or lack of accountability in any sector. A 10-member committee comprising three to four ministry officials, alongside professional journalists and representatives from different media bodies, is being formed. It will commence operations within this month to verify actual circulation figures and determine the official rankings of newspapers," the minister told this correspondent.

A Legacy of Manipulation

For decades, the process of determining newspaper circulation in Bangladesh has been mired in controversy. Industry insiders and media watchdog bodies have repeatedly alleged that numerous publications artificially inflate their circulation numbers—sometimes by tenfold—with the active connivance of a section of corrupt DFP officials.

By presenting fabricated circulation data on paper, these publications secured higher ranking positions, allowing them to bag lucrative government advertisements, tax-free newsprint quotas, and various state privileges.

Consequently, highly circulated and influential national dailies have routinely been deprived of their fair share of state revenue, creating an uneven playing field in the newspaper industry.

Journalists Welcome the Move

The decision has drawn strong positive reactions from the journalist community, who have long demanded an end to the commercial weaponization of circulation numbers.

Welcoming the government's decision, Mynul Hasan Sohel, General Secretary of the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU)**, termed it a landmark step for the industry.

"This is a great initiative for our journalist community as well as the country as a whole. Many newspapers resort to false claims regarding their circulation figures. This malpractice not only leads to a massive waste of public funds but also deprives credible, hard-working newspapers of the benefits and revenues they genuinely deserve," the DRU General Secretary said.

He further emphasized that institutional cleanup is the only way forward. "Curbing corruption within the Department of Films and Publications (DFP) is absolutely essential to uphold journalistic standards, restore discipline, and protect the national interest," Sohel added.

Rigorous Auditing on the Cards

Unlike the traditional, often superficial verification methods employed by the DFP, the newly formed committee is expected to adopt a stringent, multi-layered auditing process.

According to ministry sources, the committee will conduct on-the-ground inspections and thoroughly scrutinize:

Printing Press Records: Actual print runs and daily logs. Newsprint Consumption: Purchase histories and stock registers. Distribution Networks: Delivery logs, agent manifests, and transport receipts. Financial Audits: Actual sales revenue and corporate tax filings.

Media analysts believe an unbiased and rigorous probe by this new body could unearth massive discrepancies and lead to a drastic overhaul of the current government advertisement distribution layout.

Calls for Institutional Reforms

While media stakeholders have welcomed the move, analysts caution that merely shifting authority from the DFP to a new committee may not yield long-term results unless institutional safeguards are established.

"Determining actual circulation is vital for healthy competition and restoring discipline in the media industry," said a leading media analyst. "However, to avoid replicating past failures, the new committee’s findings must be made public, a formal appeal process must be introduced for aggrieved publications, and regular independent audits must be institutionalized."

The newspaper industry now anxiously watches how effectively the interim mechanism operates and whether it can finally dismantle the decades-old syndicate that has plagued state-media financial relations.