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DHAKA: Bangladesh Editors’ Guild has expressed deep concern over recent attacks, threats and harassment of journalists while performing their professional duties in different parts of Bangladesh, including an assault at Rajshahi University.
The organisation also called for those responsible to be brought to justice and issued five demands, including exemplary legal action against perpetrators.
Editors’ Guild President Nurul Kabir and General Secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmud made the demands in a statement sent to the media on Tuesday.
The guild said the latest incident at Rajshahi University was particularly concerning. At least 10 people, including four journalists, were injured in the Oct. 4 incident, according to media reports.
The journalists were performing their professional duties by collecting information and reporting in the public interest, the statement said.
“Disagreement with any news report, opinion or professional activity of a journalist cannot justify attacks, threats or obstruction of their work,” the guild said.
It said attacks on journalists were not only assaults on individual professionals but also undermined press freedom, freedom of expression and the public’s right to information.
The guild welcomed the filing of a case and the investigation into the Rajshahi University incident, but called for an impartial, credible and evidence-based probe.
It also urged authorities to prosecute those responsible regardless of their political or organisational affiliations.
The Editors’ Guild said journalist safety was an essential condition for a free, democratic and accountable society and called on the government, law enforcement agencies, political parties, educational institutions and other stakeholders to take swift and lawful action against attacks on journalists.
It also urged authorities to take effective measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
