Journos for arrest of MP Rony
22 July 2013, 18:25 PM
UPDATED
23 July 2013, 01:33 AM
Independent Poribar forms a human chain before Jatiya Press Club in the capital yesterday demanding arrest of Awami League lawmaker Golam Moula Rony for assaulting Independent Television reporter Imtiaz Momin and videographer Mohsin Mukul. Photo:Star
Journalists yesterday demanded the arrest of Awami League lawmaker Golam Maula Rony within seven days and cancellation of his parliamentary membership for assaulting two staff of Independent Television.
At a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club, they also demanded the arrest of Rony's accomplices who along with him beat up reporter Imtiaz Momin and cameraperson Mohsin Mukul at his Topkhana Road office in the capital on Saturday.
They, at the protest programme, expressed disappointment over the court granting Rony bail.
Criticizing the government and law enforcers for the delay in the trial procedure in connection with the killing of the journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, the leaders of the journalists' associations also threatened to go for a tougher movement if the arrests were not made within the time.
Describing Saturday's attack as barbarous, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists President Ruhul Amin Gazi said the accused should be brought to justice irrespective of his political affiliation.
"How can a lawmaker attack journalists? The parliamentary membership of the "black sheep", Rony, should be cancelled," he added.
Terming Rony the enemy of the mass media, Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) President Shahed Chowdhury urged all to refrain from publishing or airing positive reports or programmes on Rony.
"We are demanding Rony's arrest .... A lawmaker who beats up journalists cannot hold the post," he said.
Mahmudur Rahman Khokan, president of DRU multipurpose co-operative society, urged all TV channels not to invite Rony to any talk shows.
"If any television channel invites him anymore, that will be considered blacklisted by the journalist community," he added.
Different journalists' associations, including Dhaka University Journalists' Association, Rajshahi University Journalists' Association and Chandpur Television Reporters' Forum held human chains protesting the attack and demanding punishment for the attackers.
Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Ramna Zone Shibli Noman told The Daily Star that Police were gathering video footage, accounts of witnesses and other evidence. No one had been arrested until yesterday evening.
Independent Television reporter Imtiaz said Mukul's health condition was improving at Metropolitan Hospital in the capital's Mohakhali but he still could not walk alone.
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