Hefajat attacks on journos pre-planned

At least 13 journalists have been assaulted by Hefajat-e Islam activists in Chittagong city, as elsewhere in the country, since February 22, a few days after it formally launched the anti-bloggers movement.
Journalists termed the attacks "planned" and "targeted at objective journalism", which, they said, usually went against the fundamentalists.
The radical Islamists made the latest attack during Hefajat's Sunday hartal, leaving three newsmen critically injured. The victims were covering a pro-hartal procession at Ashkar Dighi Par.
Dr Mainul Islam, a professor at Chittagong University, said Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir men under the cover of Hefajat assaulted the journalists.
“The attacks are well-planned and targeted at journalists of those media, which the fundamentalists do not like,” he told The Daily Star yesterday.
“If the journalists report incidents truthfully, it would go against Jamaat-Shibir men because they are creating violence and attacking police and religious minorities."
General Secretary of the Chittagong Union of Journalists (CUJ) Reaz Haider said, “Although Hefajat leaders do not admit their links with Jamaat-Shibir, it is now clear that the Jamaat-Shibir men were behind Hefajat as slogans to free Jamaat leader [Delawar Hossain] Sayedee were heard from their processions.”
Most of the Hefajat attacks have taken place early this month. They assaulted five journalists who were covering a Hefajat sit-in at Wasa intersection on April 5. They sustained severe injuries. Another attack followed the next day at the same place.
Though Hefajat leaders "regretted" the attacks on April 6, their followers did not stop launching another attack the following day. The attack on February 22, when Hefajat brought out a procession at Anderkilla, left five journalists injured.
Journalists said these were attacks on free journalism and the freedom of expression.
Nazimuddin Shyamal, ex-general secretary of the CUJ, said journalists had always been the target of political parties though they did not belong to any parties and just tried to reveal the truth. Whenever any true news goes against any party, they attack journalists, he said.