Exonerate professional journalists from murder cases: DUJ to Interim Govt

After the change of politics and power, the Dhaka ists Union (DUJ), which is steadfast in the spirit of the liberation war, has expressed concern over the involvement of journalists in various districts of the country including Dhaka. The organization requested the immediate release of journalists from such cases to the chief advisor of the interim government and the advisor of the relevant ministry.

In a statement on Friday (August 30), DUJ president Sohel Haider Chowdhury and general secretary Aktar Hossain expressed concern and requested the government.

In the statement, the leaders said that professional journalists are being involved in murder cases one after another after the change of politics and power on August 5 due to anti-discrimination student movement. A case of murder has been filed against a 50-year-old journalist in various districts of the country including the capital Dhaka. Some of them are leading various journalist unions and press clubs besides journalism. These people are ensuring people's right to information through journalism on the one hand, while journalists are leading the society on the other hand. But filing one murder case against them does not bode well.

DUJ president and general secretary said in a statement that if any complaint against a journalist is proved concretely, a case can be filed against him. But it is not appropriate to involve the previous government in the case of murder by accusing it of cooperation in various ways. The incident of harassment and torture observed in the court premises after arrest in these cases is not acceptable in any way. Therefore, the miscreants involved in such heinous attacks and torture incidents should be immediately identified and brought to justice.

The two leaders said in a statement that the case of murder cases against journalists is making the entire journalist society panic on the one hand, and on the other hand it is spreading fear in the minds of the people. Which can create obstacles in the commitment to build a state and society free of discrimination. Therefore, such cases against journalists and journalist leaders are urged to be withdrawn immediately.

Bangladesh /KH