Reinstate sacked newsmen

Journalists, joined by people, formed a human chain in front of Barisal Aswani Kumar Hall in Barisal city yesterday protesting attack on two journalists in southern districts. PHOTO: STAR

Speakers at the rally also condemned the recent attacks on the two journalists allegedly by ruling party men.

The rally was presided over by Meherunnessa Babul, president of Barisal Press Club and Editor of regional daily Akjer Barta.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

It was addressed by Arup Talukdar, Towfiq Maruf, Mintu Bose, Giasuddin Mia, S M Iqbal, Ashish Das Gupta, Yunus Talukdar, Hiron Das Mithu, Saidur Rahman Madhu.

The speakers said incidents of attack on journalists in southern districts by ruling party activists increased in recent days but newspaper authorities failed to stand by them.

The authorities of Ajker Barta published from Borhanuddin in Bhola district sacked its Staff Reporter Shimul Chowdhury after he was tortured by BNP activists for a report on their alleged looting of fishes from fishermen's boat for not giving toll.

Manjur Morshed, correspondent of national daily Jugantor in Baufal in Patuakhali district was also tortured allegedly by some ruling party men.

The speakers alleged that the authorities of the two newspapers sided with the ruling party men and took action against the journalists. This is regrettable, they said.