South Asian media organisations, journalists condemn attacks on Prothom Alo and Daily Star

Several South Asia-based media organisations and prominent journalists have condemned the attacks on the offices of Bangladesh’s leading dailies, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, as well as the physical assault on New Age editor Nurul Kabir.

The South Asia Peace Action Network (SAPAN), the South Asia Media Defenders Network (SAMDEN), SAPAN News, the Rural Media Network Pakistan, and others jointly issued the condemnation on Monday.

The organisations also welcomed statements issued by the Press Club of India and the Karachi Press Club expressing concern and condemnation over the incidents of violence in Bangladesh.

Last Thursday, terrorist attacks took place at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka. The attackers vandalised and looted the premises and set fire to the buildings of both newspapers.

The attacks on these media organisations have sparked widespread condemnation both nationally and internationally, with journalists based in South Asia also expressing solidarity.

Just three months ago, media houses in Nepal came under similar fire, including mob attacks on the Kantipur Group buildings, the Annapurna Post, and Image TV. Journalists from various media groups were attacked physically and virtually.

Violence, intimidation, attacks or harassment aimed at silencing the media are unacceptable and violate the right to media freedom, the constitutional right to freedom of expression, and rule of law.

The organisations call upon the governments concerned to ensure that perpetrators are identified and brought to justice through a fair, impartial and speedy investigation into the incidents of arson, violence and intimidation.

Beena Sarwar, founder editor Sapan News, co-founder, curator Southasia Peace Action Network, Boston
Kanak Mani Dixit, founder and former editor Himal Southasian, Kathmandu
Sanjoy Hazarika, independent columnist and author
Dilrukshi Handunneti, investigative journalist and lawyer, Sri Lanka
Nirupama Subramanian, journalist, former editor, Chennai
Farman Ali,  Chief Editor, The High Asia Herald and former News Editor, Dawn Islamabad
Husain Naqi, senior journalist, former Editor, Lahore
Antara Dev Sen, founder editor, The Little Magazine, New Delhi
Bala Chauhan, senior editor, The New Indian Express
Tahira Abdullah, democracy and rights activist, Islamabad
Anuradha Bhasin, managing Editor, Kashmir times
Amit Sengupta, Editor, independentink.in, New Delhi
Asmatullah Niazi, broadcast journalist, Islamabad
Bachi Karkaria, columnist, Mumbai
Vineeta Pandey,  Senior Editor, The Asian Age-Deccan Chronicle, New Delhi
Neeta Kolhatkar, journalist, Mumbai
Monideepa Banerjie, journalist, Kolkata
Deepal Trivedi, independent journalist, co-founder: vibesofindia.com, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Maya Sharma, independent journalist, Bengaluru, India
Stella Paul, journalist, Hyderabad, India
Pamela Philipose, journalist, New Delhi
Wajahat Masood, broadcast journalist, Lahore
Niaz Murtaza, journalist, Islamabad
Nilova Roy Chaudhury, independent journalist, New Delhi
Radhika Ramaseshan, political journalist and columnist, New Delhi
Namrata Sharma, journalist and rights activist, Nepal
Jyoti Malhotra, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune, Chandigarh, India
Smita Gupta, independent journalist, New Delhi
Nivedita Jha, independent journalist, Bihar
Qurratul-Ain-Tahmina, journalist, Dhaka
Shirsendu Chakraborty, Sangbad Pratidin, Kolkata, West Bengal
Saurabh Duggal, independent journalist, Chandigarh, India
Anamitra Chatterjee, Ei Samay, Kolkata
Vivek Mukherji, Independent Journalist & Consulting Executive Editor Gfiles, New Delhi.
Jatin Gandhi, journalist and author, New Delhi
Angur Nahar Monty, journalist, Bangladesh
Dr. AH Nayyar, physicist and peace activist, Islamabad