Speakers at a journalists' rally yesterday protested the sudden closure of the Banglabazar Patrika, a Bengali daily and demanded resumption of its publication within 24 hours.

They termed the closure illegal and contrary to the existing law of the land.

They also threatened to launch an agitation programme against the owners and for brining stability in the newspaper industry. The protest meeting was presided over by

Shahnewaz Dulal, convenor of the Banglabazar Sangbadik-Sramik-Karmachary Oikya Parishad.

Acting president of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists G M Yakub, BFUJ general secretary Akhter Ahmad Khan, DUJ president Altaf Mahmud, general secretary Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan, DRU general secretary Motaher Hossain Masum and other journalists' leaders addressed the rally held at Jatiya Press Club.

Leaders of BFUJ and DUJ in a joint statement also protested the illegal closure of the daily. Leaders of the other factions of the BFUJ and DUJ led by Amanullah Kabir and Ruhul Amin Gazi in a joint statement also protested the closure of the Banglabazar Patrika.