6-day ultimatum given to arrest attackers

Journalists stage demonstration before Jatiya Press Club yesterday, protesting a police assault on three photojournalists of the daily Prothom Alo and a criminal attack on the office of online news portal bdnews24.com in the capital this week. Photo: STAR

Journalists of different media houses yesterday issued a six-day ultimatum to the government for arresting the miscreants and policemen involved in the attacks on journalists of online news portal bdnews24.com and daily Prothom Alo this week.
During a two-hour agitation programme before the Jatiya Press Club in the capital, the journalists also warned the government of tougher movement if their demand is not met by June 4.
They decided to submit a memorandum to the speaker of National Parliament on June 5 for enacting a law to ensure the security of the journalists.
They strongly protested the Monday's criminal attack on bdnews24.com journalists and staff and Saturday's police assault on Prothom Alo photojournalists.
The journalists also demanded removal of Officer-in-Charge of Dhanmondi Police Station Moniruzzaman for attacking the people protesting against the death of Bibhash Chandra Saha, senior reporter of daily The Independent, earlier this month.
Later, they met with Home Minister Shahara Khatun at her ministry around 2:00pm and placed their demands.
Members of Jatiya Press Club, Dhaka Reporters Unity, Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, Dhaka Union of Journalists and other media houses took part in the rally that started around 11:30am.
Meanwhile, journalists across the country also condemned the incidents and organised protest programmes yesterday.
Ain O Salish Kendra, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Progressive Art and Mass Media Workers Forum, Bangladesh Students' Union and Jatiya Mukti Council, in seperate statements yesterday, condemned the attack on the journalists of bdnews24.com.