Arrest ATN Bangla chairman

Journalists stage a sit-in before the ATN Bangla office in the capital yesterday demanding arrest of killers of journalist couple Sagar-Runi and also arrest of ATN Bangla Chairman Mahfuzur Rahman.Photo: STAR

Journalist leaders yesterday demanded the arrest of ATN Bangla Chairman Mahfuzur Rahman at a sit-in before the ATN Bangla office for his alleged links to the murder of journalist couple Sagar-Runi.
The demand came following a press briefing in London on May 30 where Mahfuzur claimed to have video footage relating to their killing. But later he denied the claim.
The sit-in was staged around 11:15am in the capital's Karwan Bazar.
Sagar Sarowar was a news editor of private TV station Maasranga and his wife Meherun Runi a senior reporter at ATN Bangla. They were murdered at their rented flat in the capital's West Rajabazar on February 11.
Leaders of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), Jatiya Press Club and Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) joined the sit-in.
"We do not know who killed them, but we can assume the killers are from Karwan Bazar," said DUJ leader Shawkat Mahmud.
DRU president Shakhawat Hossain Badsha said the journalists could not imagine Mahfuzur was linked to the murder but “his actions have made him a suspect”.
"If not, then why did you [Mahfuzur] make objectionable comments on the victims' personal lives, rather than trying to trace their killers? Why did you deny your claim?" he added.
Earlier this month, Mahfuzur filed a case along with a petition against journalist leaders who planned the sit-in.
Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, chief executive officer and editor-in-chief of Boishakhi TV, said the journalist leaders cannot be separated by filing cases. "We will not return home until the case is withdrawn and the killers of Sagar-Runi are brought to trial."
On September 10, a Dhaka court dismissed the petition to ban journalist leaders from staging demonstrations. But the following day, the High Court imposed a four-month injunction against making defamatory or prejudicial remarks against Mahfuzur.