EXCLUSIVE ... Ad misleads many, watchdog urged.............

Hundreds of fans of an actress, and even journalists, have been misled by an advertisement 'breaking the news' that she is missing.

The incident has drawn howls of protests from media experts who have called for constitution of a watchdog with honest, expert professionals.

The advert appeared on the front page of daily Samakal on Feb. 16 in the form of a 'special report' and was headlined, "Popular actress Joya Ahsan missing".

The advert was also telecast as breaking news.

The advert read, "Popular TV actress Joya Ahsan has suddenly gone missing... Her mobile phone is also switched off... The people of the country are surprised at her going missing unexpectedly.

"Questions swirl. Naturally everyone is worried. Newspapers are also writing on the incident. Her family members are avoiding the media, saying 'no comments'."

A casual reader will most likely miss a note on the bottom right of the 'news' that it was a commercial.

Mobile-phone operator Banglalink commissioned the ad, made by Interspeed.

In a BBC Bangla Service programme, Associated Press news agency's Bangladesh Bureau chief Farid Hossain expressed his concern over the news of her going missing on the day the advert appeared.

He had made the comment mistaking the advert for a piece of "true news", Farid told us Thursday.

He said the advert printed in the real news format along with other news bearing a note at the corner in hard-to-see font amounted to " fraud and spreading panic".

" How come the advert still appears and the government has not or even is not taking steps!" he wondered.

Many had called to ask him about actress Ahsan, mistaking it for a real news, the senior journalist added.

"The advertising firm, the model and the media who printed or aired the commercial have all done an irresponsible act," Ahmed said.

He added those responsible should be brought to justice.

On Feb. 18, on the last page of the newspaper, the actress was seen surrounded by 'reporters'.
There she tells them, "I will never switch my mobile phone off again... I can be reached easily."

The Banglalink ad further said, "Now recharge your inactive connection and enjoy 200% bonus!"

The newspaper said many worried fans were calling the office to know the update on her.

Call for watchdog body

Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism, Dhaka University, Sakhawat Ali Khan said that publication and broadcast of such "misleading" advertisement is against the ethics of journalism.

He said such "false and misleading" advertisements were carried before.

Khan recommended the authorities form a regulatory body comprising experts to supervise the ethical issues.

Acting Samakal editor Mozammel Hossain Manju said they had printed the advert "with the consent of the model" and the font-size of the ad was smaller than the paper's font.

That it was a commercial was written as the source, he pointed out to us.

Advertising firm and other stakeholders should be careful about making and running such enticing adverts, he added.