Freedom of press still under attack
Expressing deep concern, the Editors' Council yesterday said that press freedom in the country is still under attack from certain quarters of society despite the interim government's promises to uphold it.
Some of the country's leading print media offices have faced threats of assault and siege, according to a press release issued by the council's President Mahfuz Anam and General Secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmud.
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Newspapers like Prothom Alo and The Daily Star have requested protection from law enforcement, the release said, noting that security agencies have promptly responded to the call.
"One of the major promises of the new Bangladesh arising from the August 5 mass uprising was to ensure press freedom. This has been repeatedly affirmed by various quarters of the interim government," reads the release.
The Editors' Council emphasised that if anyone objects to any news or editorial stance of a newspaper, they can express their views through intellectual discourse and writing.
"Attempting to silence the media through threats is merely a repetition of past anti-democratic practices," the release read.
The council strongly condemned attempts to disrupt the environment for independent journalism and urged the government to take a firm stance and suppress mob justice against all institutions, including the media.
It also called on all parties to refrain from actions that infringe upon press freedom.
This call was made during an Editors' Council meeting at The Daily Star office yesterday.
The meeting was attended by Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, Manab Zamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, New Age Editor Nurul Kabir, Ajker Patrika Editor Golam Rahman, Financial Express Editor Shamsul Haque Zahid, Jugantor Editor Saiful Alam, Ittefaq Editor Tasmima Hossain, Banik Barta Editor and Publisher Dewan Hanif Mahmud, Sangbad Editor Altamash Kabir, Dhaka Tribune Editor Zafar Sobhan, Desh Rupantor Editor Mostafa Mamun, and Sangbad Executive Editor Shahriar Karim.
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