Journalists have given the administration a 72-hour deadline to identify and arrest the perpetrators behind Sunday’s attacks on newsmen covering the student protests for safer roads.
Several scribe bodies demonstrated in Dhaka on Tuesday (Aug 7), when a nationwide protest was announced for Aug 11.
More than five journalists, including the Dhaka-based Associated Press photojournalist, were injured while covering the student demonstration across Dhaka city on Sunday after activists of ruling Awami League’s front bodies allegedly attacked them.
Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) organized a protest progamme in front of the city’s National Press Club.
Addressing the progamme, BFUJ President announced the nationwide protest proagmme for Aug 11 and called all journalists to make the progamme a success.
BFUJ Secretary General Shaban Mahmud said, “We will go for tougher movement if the perpetrators are not arrested within 72-hours.”
DUJ President Abu Jafar Surja echoed the Mahmud’s announcement
DUJ General Secretary Sohel Haidar Chowdhury urged the journalists to verify the news before publishing it.
“If you (journalists) do so the DUJ won’t take the responsibility,” he said.
Another human chain was formed in the city’s Karwan Bazar area.
Journalists slammed police inaction during the attacks, saying it encouraged goons to swoop on reporters, photographers, and camerapersons of different newspapers and TV channels.
Ujjal Zisan, an injured newsman of an online news portal ‘sarabangla.net’ said expressing his frustration that all groups want us to be beaten.
I, personally, faced the level of brutality, he added.
Another journalist attended the event alleged that authorities are not seen to take any visible step against the goons.
“We will not publish any news of the party linked to the attackers if they will not be brought under justice.”
A television journalist Depan Dewan also echoed the allegations and voiced the ultimatum of 72 hours to start the process to mark off the perpetrators.
Besides the human chain, journalists observed a 10-minute work abstention pressing for their demands.