Killers of journos to be tried: Azad

Winners of the Best Report Award 2008 pose for photograph with Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad at an award giving ceremony at Dhaka Reporters' Unity yesterday. Photo: STAR

The government will hold trial of all killings of journalists in the country and will ensure exemplary punishment for the culprits, said Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad yesterday.
He said this while addressing a ceremony held for distributing Best Report Award, 2008 and certificates of the English Language Course at Dhaka Reporters' Unity.
Eleven reporters of various dailies and TV channels received eight awards for their reports in various fields in 2008.
Azad said measures would be taken to stop torture and intimidation of journalists and false cases filed against them would be withdrawn.
"We have said in our charter that we will ensure freedom of the press and free flow of information," he said.
The minister said discriminatory policies and nepotism in government advertisement distribution will be removed and necessary assistance will be provided to help the industry flourish.
Sharifuzzaman Pintu of daily Prothom Alo won the President's Award for his report on education while Bhorer Kagoj Award for best report on violence against women and children went to Afroza Nazneen of Khabarpatra.
Julfikar Ali Manik and Syed Ashfaqul Haque of The Daily Star jointly bagged the FBCCI Award for their investigative economic report.
Helemul Alam of The Daily Star got Shaheed Jaya Hasna Hena Quadir Smriti Award for his report on the Liberation War.
Helal Uddin of Jugantar and Mizan Chowdhury of Janakantha jointly secured the DCCI Award for their objective economic report.
The Navana Award for best sports report went to Masud Alam of Prothom Alo.
Selim Zahid of Shamokal and Kishowar Laila of Bangla Vision bagged the Hedayet Hossain Morshed Smriti Parishad Award for best report on humanitarian issues.
Keramat Ullah Biplab of Channel 1 won the Dhaka City Corporation Award for best TV investigative city report.
Congratulating the winners, Azad urged them not only to uphold problems of the society and but also give directions of possible solutions in their reports. Azad said, "I believe you [journalists] will do constructive criticism as well as uphold the real picture of government activities.
"We have already passed the Right to Information Act and also formed an information commission which has started its work." The act would help journalists carry out their duties.
On the English Language Course, he said there is no alternative to learning the English language and we have to learn the language to make our position stronger in the international arena.
Shafiqul Kabir, founding president and chairman of the jury board, Shamim Ahmad, president of DRU, and Pathik Saha, general secretary of DRU, also spoke.