‘Indecent summon’: Journalists protest ‘inaction’ of ACC

Covering their faces in black cloths, journalists today formed a human chain in front of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s headquarters for not withdrawing what they claimed an “indecent summon” of their fellow.

Around a hundred of media persons gathered in front of the ACC headquarters in Segunbagicha and formed the human chain around 11:30am.

They demanded the ACC to immediately accept their demand or else face tougher movement.

Journalists try to be as helpful as possible to all government institutions, especially the ACC but the language has to be respectable, the journalists said.  

“This letter must be withdrawn,” said Abu Jafor Shurjo, president of a section of Dhaka Union of Journalists.

Sohel Haider Chowdhury, general secretary of DUJ, also said the system in which the letter was sent and the language of the letter is completely “unacceptable”. And the letter should have been addressed to the editor of the paper instead of the journalist.

The ACC on June 25 asked a special correspondent of Bangla Tribune to appear before it for testimonial on the alleged bribing of its Director Khandaker Enamul Basir by suspended DIG of police Mizanur Rahman.

Protesting the “indecent summon”, journalists gathered in front of the gates of ACC in Shegunbagicha, Dhaka, on June 27 and formed a human chain.

WHAT DID THE LETTER SAY?

In the letter signed by ACC Director Sheikh Md Fanafillah, the graft watchdog asked journalist Dipu Sarwar to appear before its headquarters today.

The letter also threatened of legal consequences against the journalist on noncompliance.

The online news portal on Sunday ran a report on the bribery allegation. Earlier, private television channel ATN News aired a report in which the DIG made allegation of giving Tk 40 lakh to Basir who “promised” him that he would exonerate him of all charges.