Arrest of Binoy: Jessore journos boycott home boss' function
Journalists in Jessore have decided to boycott Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan's programme on March 16 in protest against the arrest of former Jessore Press Club vice-president and rights activist Binoy Krishna Mallik.
The decision was made at a meeting of the journalists at Jessore Press Club yesterday afternoon.
Binoy, executive director of Rights Jessore, an NGO working for the victims of human trafficking, was picked up allegedly by plainclothes policemen from his house on Monday, hours after he raised an allegation of corruption and misuse of power by Superintendent of Police Anisur Rahman.
Jessore police claimed Binoy was arrested in connection with fraudulent activities, for which a case was filed with Narsingdi police.
A Narsingdi court has meanwhile released Binoy on bail, said Sarwar Hossain, programme officer of Rights Jessore.
The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Chandan Kumar Nath granted him bail yesterday evening following a plea by Shirin Akhter, panel lawyer of Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association (BNWLA), he added.
The journalists of Jessore yesterday also held a protest rally and brought out a procession demanding immediate release of Binoy.
They have also decided to show black flags to the home minister and not to publish positive news on local police.
They further held a sit-in programme in front of the deputy commissioner's office and chanted slogans for Binoy's release.
Rights body Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) has also expressed deep concerns over the arrest of Binoy.
The ASK in a statement yesterday demanded justice for Binoy after conducting a fair probe on allegations brought against him.
“Harassment of a rights activist for his work is not acceptable in any circumstance,” reads the statement.
Earlier on Monday, Binoy held a press conference at Jessore Press Club where he demanded suspension of the district police boss.
About eight hours after the press conference, police picked him up from his Ghop Nawapara Road home in the evening.