Attack on Prothom Alo, The Daily Star
Sylhet press club calls for ensuring the safety of journalists and newspapers
The Sylhet Zilla Press Club has strongly condemned the attack, arson and vandalism at the offices of the newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, as well as the destruction of Prothom Alo’s Sylhet office.
The condemnation was expressed in a press release issued at 9:30 pm on Monday. The statement was jointly signed by the president of the Sylhet Zilla Press Club, Moin Uddin and its general secretary, Mohammad Nasir Uddin.
The statement conveyed deep concern over attacks on the media and urged the interim government to ensure the safety and security of journalists and newspaper organisations.
It further demanded that those involved in these incidents be identified promptly and brought under the law, with exemplary punishment ensured.
The statement also noted that acts of sabotage took place at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Dhaka on 18 December. Subsequently, Prothom Alo’s divisional regional office in Sylhet was attacked and vandalised. These incidents have spread anxiety among journalists.
Meanwhile, the Electronic Media Journalists Association (EMJA), Sylhet, has also issued a statement expressing concern over acts of sabotage at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, harassment of journalists, the killing of a journalist in Khulna and the harassment of journalists from Ekattor Television in Sylhet.
The statement was jointly signed by the organisation’s president, Ashraful Kabir, and general secretary, Sakib Ahmed.
EMJA’s statement said that although a peaceful environment was expected in the country following the announcement of the election schedule, a series of undesirable incidents has occurred.
These include sabotage and harassment of journalists at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Dhaka on 18 December, the killing of a journalist in Khulna and the recent harassment of journalists from Ekattor Television in Sylhet.
The statement called for the swift identification of those responsible and the ensuring of exemplary punishment, alongside effective action by the government and the administration.