Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu yesterday said once a broadcast commission is set up, there will be "specific standards" for television talk shows and no room for TV channels to present "distorted and false" information through such programmes.

"The government has already formulated the National Broadcast Policy-2014. And process is on to enact the Broadcast Law-2015 and Broadcast Commission Law-2015 for implementation of the policy," he said in parliament.

Replying to lawmakers' queries, Inu said the standards for talk shows would be set following the formulation of the laws.

He also said a committee was working to monitor different television programmes, including talk shows and news, on a regular basis. He, however, did not elaborate on the matter.

Replying to another query, the minister told parliament that Bangla daily Bangladesh Protidin was the highest circulating newspapers among 156 dailies being published from Dhaka. The daily's circulation is 5.53 lakh.

According to his scripted reply, the other top circulating newspapers are Prothom Alo (5.01 lakh), Kaler Kantho (2.5 lakh), Janakantha, (2.23 lakh), Amader Somoy (2.22 lakh), Jugantor (2.21 lakh), Ittefaq (1.94 lakh) and Samakal (1.64 lakh).

Of the 156 dailies, 44 newspapers are implementing the eighth wage board, Inu said.

He also informed the House that negotiations with three foreign companies were underway for establishing five full-fledged centres of Bangladesh Television at the divisional headquarters in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Sylhet, Khulna and Barisal.

"The government is negotiating with the China-based Areospace, Long-March International Trade Company Ltd, and Radio, Film and TV Design and Research Institute for setting up the BTV centres," he said.