Some bureaucrats using Rozina issue to put govt in confrontation with media: Iqbal Sobhan
Expressing anger against the harassment and arrest of journalist Rozina Islam, the prime minister's former media advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury has said that certain bureaucrats are using the issue to place the government in confrontation with the media.
He hoped that everyone would move away from this confrontational stance and that Rozina Islam would be freed on court order tomorrow, Sunday.
Leaders of five journalist organisations held a meeting at the Jatiya Press Club today, Saturday, to discuss the demands for Rozina Islam's release and withdrawal of the case against here. The meeting, which lasted for almost three hours, was organised by a faction of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ). The organisations at the meeting were Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), Jatiya Press Club, Dhaka Reporters Unity and Broadcast Journalist Centre.
At the end of the meeting, DUJ president Kuddus Afrad and general secretary Sajjad Alam Khan announced the decisions that had been taken. The TV Camera Journalist Association, present at the meeting, also declared their solidarity with the demands.
It was decided that the journalist leaders would meet with three ministers on Sunday regarding the unconditional release of Prothom Alo's senior journalist Rozina Islam and withdrawal of the case against her. The three ministers are road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, law minister Anisul Haque and information minister Hasan Mahmud.
After the meeting, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said that Rozina Islam had been arrested, charged and harassed on false allegations. The entire journalist community of the country was enraged and the general people had joined them in their protest. Dhaka Union of Journalists were discussing with the leaders of various journalist organisations to keep this united movement active. The court would be declaring the verdict on Rozina's bail order tomorrow, Sunday, and it was hoped that she would be granted bail and released. He said there was also anger at the false charges and harassment she faced.
Referring to prime minister Sheikh Hasina as a journalist-friendly leader, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said, "During her government's rule, certain bureaucrats are putting the government in confrontation with the media and we want to move away from that position. We want to take democracy and the country ahead and we want to create an environment conducive to freely practicing journalism. Our movement will continue. It is not just to release Rozina, but also for concerted efforts to eliminate the obstacles to free media.
Calling for an act for media professionals and an act to protect journalists, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said that journalists must not be harassed by the Digital Security Act.
He said, "Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ensured press freedom in the 1972 constitution. The present prime minister Sheikh Hasina gave the act for free flow of information. It is contradictory to use the Official Secrecy Act or the Digital Security Act to obstruct journalists from performing their professional duties freely, while there was the right to information act."
DUJ president Kuddus Afrad said they would meet three ministers of the government on Sunday regarding Rozina Islam. He hoped that before that the court would grant her unconditional release.
Kuddus Afrad said the next move would be decided upon after the court decision on Sunday.
"Rozina Islam must be free unconditionally," he said, "That is our demand to the government. The government is opposing her bail." He said that the meeting had discussed other problems faced by journalists too. "The journalists must remain united and we will present all these problems formally to the government," he added.
DUJ general secretary Sajjad Alam Khan said, a law is needed for the protection of journalists.
Protection of journalists had become essential, said Bangladesh Broadcast Journalist Centre chairman Rezwanul Huq.
Also present at the meeting were Jatiya Press Club president Farida Yasmin, former president of the club and Jugantor editor Saiful Alam, Bangladesh Broadcast Journalist Centre member secretary Shakil Ahmed, trustee Rashed Ahmed, BFUJ acting secretary general Abdul Majid, former secretary general Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan, former acting secretary general Zakaria Kajol, Dhaka Reporters Unity vice president Osman Ghani, general secretary Mashiur Rahman Khan, DUJ former acting president Atiqur Rahman Chowdhury and others.