IFJ condemns assault on two journos

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) yesterday condemned the alleged assault on two journalists in separate events on August 21 by Bangladesh Chhatra League activists and urged authorities to launch an immediate investigation.

In a statement published on its website, IFJ said university-based journalists in Bangladesh have been subjected to an increasing number of attacks and threats while on campus.

"Student organisations have been responsible for a growing trend of assaults, threats, and abuse against university journalists and media workers," it said.

It urged authorities to investigate the assaults of these journalists and to guarantee the safety of journalists and media workers in Bangladesh.

According to the statement, several Jahangirnagar University BCL activists chased a student into a campus guest hall on August 21.

United News of Bangladesh JU correspondent and media studies student Asif Al Amin, then sitting outside the guest hall, went to investigate the incident upon hearing a commotion.

Suspecting the journalist had been recording them, the activists allegedly proceeded to assault Al Amin, despite him identifying himself. The attackers are allegedly affiliated with JU BCL.

In a separate incident, Daily Ajker Darpan and bartabazar.com Patuakhali district correspondent, Md Nayan Mridha, was attacked and injured on the evening of August 21 while returning to the local Press Club.

Around 7:30pm, a group of men, allegedly members of a local BCL chapter, began to verbally abuse the journalist and then assaulted him.

The attack came more than a month after an article outlining the Patuakhali BCL President's "committee business" was published.