Patuakhali journalists urge PM to intervene

Journalists yesterday submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister (PM) through the Deputy Commissioner (DC) protesting a defamation case against four dailies including their editors and publishers.
Lawmaker from Patuakhani-3 (Galachipa and Dashmina) constituency Golam Moula Roni filed the Tk One crore defamation suit on November 3.
Journalists led by Patuakhali Press Club president Nirmol Kumar Raskmit submitted the memo to the DC yesterday noon.
According to the memo, the case filed by the lawmaker amounts to meddling in press freedom. He neither sent any rejoinder to the media nor filed a complaint with the press council but filed the defamation case to harass journos, it said.
The journalists urged the PM for taking steps for unconditional withdrawal of the case as soon as possible.
The memo was submitted as part of the four-day long agitation programme launched by Patuakhali Press Club.
Other programmes include exchange of views with different professional organisations on November 9, forming human chain with a 50-yard long banner in front of the press club on November 11 and a silent rally on a stage at the same venue on November 13.
The lawmaker on November 3 sued 11 journalists of four dailies-- the Prothom Alo, Dainik Jugantor, Dainik Samokal and the Manab Zamin including their editors, publishers and Barisal and Patuakhali correspondents of Dainik Jugantor and the Manab Zamin.
In the case, the lawmaker alleged that the four dailies published malicious reports against him in an attempt to tarnish his image.