By Nava J Thakuria
Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the global media safety and rights body, called the interim government of Bangladesh to initiate a fast probe into the murder of five journalists in the last few weeks and punish the culprits under the law.
The south Asian nation witnessed a month-long unrest beginning the middle of July 2024, where the students led movement toppled the Awami League government in Dhaka and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had to flee to take temporary refuge in India. Hundreds of journalists, who reported from the ground, sustained injuries as they were targeted by the Bangla armed forces as well as many affiliates of Hasina.
Lately a police complaint is lodged against ousted premier Hasina in Dhaka by the close relatives of victim photo-journalist named Tahir Zaman Priyo, who was shot dead in the capital city on 20 July during the nationwide protest demonstration demanding job-quota reforms. The complaint named Hasina along with former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, former police inspector general Choudhury Abdullah Al Mamun, former deputy police commissioner Ashraf Imam, former New Market police station in-charge officer Aminul Islam with others. The plaintiff alleged that they had to fight for hours to file the case as the police personnel on duty simply ignored them.
The anti-reservation in government jobs movement turned into a massive outrage against the Hasina regime also snatched away the lives of Hasan Mehedi (who worked for Dhaka Times), Shakil Hossain (Daily Bhorer Awaj), Abu Taher Md Turab (Daily Naya Diganta) and Pradip Kumar Bhowmik (Daily Khoborpatra). As Hasina left Dhaka on 5 August, a caretaker government headed by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was sworn in after three days with the primary aim to conduct a fresh national election within a few months and hand over the power to the winning party.
“We demand fair probes into all incidents related to journo-killings in Bangladesh and express hope that Prof Yunus will take a personal interest to unearth the truth. The working journalists are discharging their duties under a difficult situation and the new regime in Dhaka should think of erasing all brutal laws against the media persons,” said PEC president Blaise Lempen, adding that the authorities may also compensate all the bereaved journo-families as early as possible.
PEC’s south Asia representative Nava Thakuria informed that the interim government has recently decided to establish a foundation to support the families of victims during the July-August movement, which will be chaired by Prof Yunus himself. The unprecedented uprising resulted in the killing of over 600 nationals including 30 young people and injuries to thousands others. PEC expects that the media persons, who faced the carnage while on duty, should be duly honoured by the authorities.
