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14 NEWSMEN KILLED IN SW IN 10 YEARS

23 editors concerned over govt indifference

STAR REPORT
The editors of 23 national dailies for the first time yesterday issued a joint statement expressing deep concerns "at the killing of and attack on journalists in Khulna and the country's southwestern region."
"We are extremely concerned about the fact that journalists are dying at regular intervals, yet the government and the administration remain indifferent and unconcerned. So far not a single incident has either been properly investigated or the culprits punished. We think this fact alone may have emboldened the culprits and given them a sense of impunity to act against journalists," said the editors under the banner of the newly formed Forum to Protect Journalists (FPJ).
They announced to hold simultaneous protest rallies in all press clubs across the country at 11:00am next Saturday. The rally in Dhaka will be organised on the Jatiya Press Club premises.
"We call upon all journalists and every body concerned with the profession of journalism to make our rally a success," they urged.
The announcement comes two days into the death of daily Sangram Khulna Burea Chief Shaikh Belaluddin last Friday from injuries in a bomb attack on February 5, that also injured three other Khulnabased journalists.
The editors signing the statement are ABM Musa of Jugantor, Enayetullah Khan of New Age, M Atiqullah Khan Masud of Janakantha, Rahat Khan of Ittefaq, Reazuddin Ahmed of News Today,
Mahbubul Alam of The Independent, Mahfuz Anam of The Daily Star, Kazi Shahed Ahmed of Ajker Kagoj, AMM Bahauddin of Inqilab, Bazlur Rahman of Sangbad, Alamgir Mohiuddin of Nayadiganto, Amanullah Kabir of Amar Desh, Moazzem Hossain of The Financial Express, Motiur Rahman Chowdhury of Manabzamin, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury of The Bangladesh Observer, Asafuddowlah of Bangladesh Today, Golam Tahaboor of The New Nation, Kazi Siraj Uddin Ahmed of Dinkal, Abul Asad of Sangram, Gias Kamal Chowdhury of Khabarpatro, M Zakaria Khan of Banglabazar Patrika and Shyamal Dutta of Bhorer Kagoj.
The statement reads: "We are deeply concerned over the killing of and attack on journalists in Khulna
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and in the country's southwestern region. Over the last decade 14 journalists were murdered due to law and order situation and while performing their professional duties. In Khulna alone in the last one year three journalists were killed. One year ago, on January 15 journalist Manik Shaha was killed by a bomb blast not too far away from the Press Club. About five months later Press Club President Humayun Kabir Balu was killed in front of his housein the same method. In the latest of such gruesome incidents on February 5 journalist Shaikh Belaluddin died six days after being injured in a bomb blast on the premises of Khulna Press Club that injured several others. We condemn this killing and demand punishment of the killers. We also express our deep condolence to the bereaved family of the murdered journalist.
"We observe with deep regret that after every incident of killing and bomb blast the perpetrators are able to escape. This has led to a natural sense of anxiety and insecurity not only among journalists but also in the society at large. Given these incidents it would not be surprising if Khulna journalists are forced to think of quitting journalism. If that happens then it would not only be a severe blow to journalism as a profession but a threat to freedom of press and the right to free speech.
"We are extremely concerned at the fact that journalists are dying at regular intervals yet the government and the administration remain indifferent and unconcerned. So far not a single incident has either been properly investigated or the culprits punished. We think this fact alone may have emboldened the culprits and given them a sense of impunity to act against journalists. If this trend of events is not halted by determined government action, we are likely to enter a dark future from where it would be difficult to return. We want to see proof of government's sincerity in this regard. We express our deep frustra-
tion and resentment at government's inaction evidenced so far. We demand expeditious trial and punishment of the guilty in cases like that of Shamsur Rahman, Saiful Alam Mukul, etc. where investigation has been completed.
"Not only in the southwestern region but in other parts of the country also journalists are being killed. Last year Dipankar, a journalist from Bogra, and Kamal, a journalist from Khagrachhari, were brutally murdered. And as is the case elsewhere, nothing has been done to punish the perpetrators. All such failures of the administration have given rise to a sense of impunity to those who attack and kill journalists. We have noticed with deep regret that government remains silent when groups or parties in public rallies threaten the media and declare to attack them or force their closure. Under these circumstances the country's free media feel more and more under seize and the circumstances of their professional work under severe strain.
"We cannot accept this situation anymore. Time has come for a united action to protect the lives and professional freedom of journalists. We call upon all editors, journalists, publishers, and all those involved in the newspaper industry to join hands to resist the killing, attack, threat and harassment being faced by journalists. Through our movement we want to create pressure on the government for proper investigation and punishment of the killers of journalists. To direct our united movement we have already decided to form a 'Forum to Protect Journalists'. We have also decided to hold simultaneous joint mass rallies in all the Press Clubs throughout Bangladesh at 11:00am on Saturday, February 19, 2005. The Dhaka rally will be held at the Jatiya Press Club. We call upon all journalists and everybody concerned with the profession of journalism, to make our rally a grand success."