Rally at Netrakona

'Withdraw false cases against 2 journalists'

24 November 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

Journalists here yesterday held a protest rally demanding withdrawal of a 'false' extortion case filed against their two colleagues with Durgapur police station on Friday last. Later the journalists of Netrakona Press Club and Netrakona unit of Bangladesh Sangabadik Samity submitted separate memorandums to Deputy Commissioner and Police Superintendent demanding withdrawal of the case. Shahidul Islam, a Jubo League activist and resident of Jubarajpur village under Durgapur upazila, filed a case with Durgapur police station on Friday night bringing extortion charge against The Daily Star Netrakona correspondent Jahangir Alam and Jai Jai Din correspondent Mizanur Rahman Nannu. The case followed two separate news items, published in The Daily Star on November 15 and in Jai Jai Din on November 19, on opening dubious bank account for the destitutes by lawmaker Mostaque Ahmed Ruhi. On November 15, The Daily Star published a news item that said lawmaker Ruhi was reportedly been realising huge amount of money from local contractors, coal importers, dealers in white clay, two sub-registry offices and market lessees in the name of an unregistered destitute welfare fund. Yesterday's protest rally was presided over by Haider Jahan Chowdhury, president of Bangladesh Sangbadik Samity Netrakona unit. Held at Netrakona Press Club, the rally was addressed by Shamolendu Paul, general secretary of the press club and Nazmus Shahadad, joint secretary of the club, Khalilur Rahman Iqbal, district correspondent of Dainik Samokal, Sanjoy Sarkar of Janakantha, Mukleshur Rahman, editor of local newspaper 'Daily Jananetra', Moniruzzaman of Prothom Alo, Goutam Babul of Amader Samoy and general secretary of Netrakona Repoters' Club Chandan Chakraborty.