Insensitivity towards burn patients

On Thursday, a team posing as TV journalists showed up at the DMCH burn unit, apparently to exploit the sufferings of arson victims. Without any concern about the plight of the injured, the team started to shoot them from different angles. They even shoved and moved around a heavily bandaged patient, 19-year-old Sabuj, without his permission. Not only that, an actress posed beside him with glycerin in her eyes to induce tears for the camera.

We are astounded that people would act in such an insensitive, cruel and inappropriate manner, making a mockery and business of people's sufferings at a time like this. True, this was an isolated incident in which the team turned out to be imposters instead of real reporters. However, it must be noted that sometimes members of the media, who enjoy full access to the burn unit, do infringe on victims' privacy, crowding the hospital room and leaving the patients exposed to infectious diseases.

Reports suggest that they do not maintain due protocol and enter the unit without appropriate masks and aprons. At times, they shove the cameras at lamenting victims and their families without consideration of their privacy and consent.

While we applaud the journalists for wanting to portray the anguish of victims and their families, we urge them to remain ethical, sensitive and respectful in their conduct towards the people whose stories they are narrating. Both print and electronic journalists need to ensure that their professional duties do not end up further victimising already distressed people.