Apologise within 48hrs

Three journalist bodies yesterday gave a 48-hour ultimatum to media personality Shomi Kaiser, to apologise for her actions.

Condemning her actions that implied journalists were “potential thieves”, Dhaka Reporters Unity in a press statement said the journalist community would boycott her if she does not apologise.

In a joint statement, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Dhaka Union of Journalists also demanded her apology.

On Wednesday, journalists were confined, while covering her programme at Jatiya Press Club, for nearly 30 minutes after she lost her mobile phones.

Witnesses said Kaiser, president of e-Commerce Association of Bangladesh, told organisers at the programme she addressed, that she had lost her phones.

After her complaint, the auditorium entrance was locked; her security personnel checked journalists with permission.

When some journalists wanted to leave afterwards, security personnel termed them “thieves”.

Video footage later showed that a worker involved in stage decoration took the phones.

Later, Kaiser regretted the matter and termed it a “misunderstanding”.