Human chain protesting cases against Star editor

People from all walks of life today formed a human chain in Thakurgaon protesting countrywide filing of cases against The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam. 

The hour long human chain was formed around 12:30pm in front of Cooperative Market in the town under the banner of Sangbadpatra Pathok Forum, reports our Thakurgaon correspondent.

The human chain was followed by a discussion at the same venue where speakers strongly protested the cases against Mahfuz Anam across the country, patronised by a quarter of the ruling party with the intention to harass him.

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Such move can put democracy and freedom of speech at stake, the speakers observed, adding that the ruling party men should have appreciated The Daily Star editor for admitting his lapse in editorial judgement in publishing a few reports without being able to verify them independently during the caretaker government regime in 2007-08.

The Daily Star is not only a newspaper but also an institution that promotes basic rights of people, especially unprivileged people and oppressed women and children. Mahfuz Anam has been leading the newspaper successfully, upholding the spirit of the Liberation War remarkably, the speakers also said.

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The speakers urged the government to resolve the matter as soon as possible as it would otherwise carry a bad example in future, and also protested all incidents of journalist harassment in recent days.

President of Thakurgaon Press Club Abu Torab Manik, President of district unit Jatiya Adivashi Parishad Surjo Mormu, General Secretary of district unit Bangladesh Mohila Parishad Suchorita Dev, district unit President of JSD (Rob) Monsur Ali and Principal Ataur Rahman, addressed the meeting among others.