Media reports on Rizwana protested
Some 27 eminent rights and environment activists yesterday condemned and protested reports published by two national dailies against Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers' Association (Bela) Chief Executive Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
In a joint statement, signed by Khushi Kabir of Nijera Kori, they urged the government to take legal actions against such irresponsible [journalism] and personal attacking in the name of journalism.
They termed such reporting "intentional, dishonest journalism" and meant to serve interest of the housing companies.
Using journalism, the media reports personally attacked Rizwana to tarnish her reputation and her organisation Bela that has been fighting legally against the environmental laws violators.
The reports were published at a time when the government, following verdicts of the Supreme Court, were demolishing billboards and signboards of the illegal housing projects in Dhaka and its outskirts. Advocate Rizwana has played important roles in the cases giving legal support, said the statement.
It stated when Rizwana has received recognition both at home and abroad for her contributions to the protection of environment. The two newspapers, recently found guilty at the Press Council of publishing "libelous reports," are trying to tarnish reputation of Rizwana and the environmental rights activists.
Even, they have brought the family matters of Rizwana in the reports, which are "indecent and confusing," said the statement.
They also urged all the editors of the dailies to take professional steps against those [journalists] who are tarnishing image of the profession by publishing such "ill-motivated libelous write-ups."
Advocate Sultana Kamal of Ain O Salish Kendra, legal experts Dr Hamida Hossain and Barrister Sara Hossain, Rasheda K Chowdhury of CAMPE, Shaheen Anam of Manusher Jonno Foundation, Dr Zafar Ullah Chowdhury of Ganashasthya Kendra, professors Dr Abul Barkat, Syed Manzurul Islam, Amena Mohsin and Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir of Dhaka University, Dr Muhammad Ibrahim of NGO Federation, Shamsul Huda of ALRD, Dr Meghna Guhathakurata of RIB, environment activists Dr Atiq Rahman, Abu Naser Khan, Dr Abdul Matin, Badiul Alam Majumder of Sujan, Farah Kabir of ActionAid, artist Mahbubur Rahman, dancer Lubna Mariam, among others, are the signatories to the statement.
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