Prothom Alo apologises

The Prothom Alo yesterday apologised to readers for hurting their sentiments with the short story, “TV Camerar Shamne Meyeti” (The girl in front of the TV camera), published in the daily's Pahela Baishakh supplement.
Hasnat Abdul Hye, the writer of the story, too, regretted writing the piece and said it would not be included in any of his works.
The daily retracted the story from its online version and e-paper.
In a statement, Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman said the contents of the story were against the guiding principles of the newspaper.
The measures followed widespread public outrage over the story, which many felt was offensive and demeaning to women political activists, Shahbagh and all progressive movements at large.
In a letter to Matiur Rahman, women's rights activists, including Rokeya Kabir, Khushi Kabir and Rokeya Rafique, under the banner Begum Rokeya Mancha, termed Hye's story as “pornography”.
They demanded a joint statement from the writer, editor and literature editor of Prothom Alo stating that the “descriptions in the story are false”.
“This story reproduces and legitimises the acts of defamation that some anti-war crimes trial groups have been carrying out against the women involved in the Shahbagh movement,” they said.
Meanwhile, students under the banner of Bikhhubdho Chhatra Samaj burnt copies of Prothom Alo at Dhaka University's TSC yesterday, condemning the publication of the story.
Sadman Sakib, spokesperson of the group, said the students demand that the literature editor be fired immediately. They also want the authorities concerned to take away all literary awards, including the Bangla Academy Award, conferred on Hye.