More protests against Ctg police excesses

They brought out processions, held rallies and staged sit-in demonstrations in several districts demanding judicial probe into the incident and punishment to the culprits.

Our RU Correspondent reports: Rajshahi Union of Journalist, Rajshahi Press Club, Metropolitan Press Club, Rajshahi Photo Journalists Association and civil society members jointly staged a sit-in in front of Rajshahi Press Club, protesting the police excesses.

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At a rally held there prior to the sit-in, speakers threatened of tougher agitation if a proper inquiry into the incident is not done and culprits punished.

Repression on media men increase after the four-party alliance government came to power because it did not take action against such act of brutality, they said.

Such "repression" on journalists not only gags the media at home but also tarnishes image of the country abroad, they said. President of Rajshahi Union of journalist (RUJ) Hassan Millat presided over the rally.

The speakers who included civil society members alleged that police officials behaved like cadres of ruling parties in Chittagong on April 16.

They attacked on-duty journalists without any provocation. They held the government responsible for this. If this continues, democratic process and development will be shattered, they said.

Journalists in Rajshahi will continue demonstrations till the culprits are punished, they said.

The rally was addressed by, among others, Rajshahi Metropo9litan Press Club Generatl Secretary Anisuzzaman, former RUJ president Mostafizur Rahman Khan, former Rajshhai Press Club president Kurshid-bin-Alam, SM Shaju, Sharif Sumon, Shahadat Hossain Badsha and Rashied Ripon.

Many civil society members, political leaders and activists and professionals joined the one-hour sit-in.

The Progressive Teachers Association at Rajshahi University, journalist and leaders of Progotishil Chhatra Jote (PCJ) at the university in separate statements yesterday condemned the police attacked and demanded punishment to the culprits.

Our Kishoreganj Correspondent reports: Journalists in Kishoreganj yesterday brought out a procession and paraded streets of the town protesting the Chittagong incident.

Before the procession, journalists held a rally on Kishoreganj Press Club premises, where speakers demanded appropriate punishment to persons responsible for attacking on-duty journalists.

They said the attack in Chittagong was not the first such incident in the country. Such incidents continue as culprits are not punished, they said and vowed to launch tougher agitation if proper action against the perpetrators are not taken.

A senior police official is supposed to cool down a situation, but the Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police himself led the attack, they alleged.

Among others, press club president Ruhul Quddus Selim, secretary ATM Nizam, M Rahman Liton, Shah Azizur Rahman and Kamrul Anam spoke at the rally.

Similar protests were also held in Chandpur, Chapainawabganj, Jessore and other district towns.