Journalists and the media divided in Bangladesh?

By Anwar Hossain; It is very unfortunate that Journalism is threatened in Bangladesh with its worst case scenario. And media outlets are self censored based on party ideologies. Both authority and fundamentalist party activists continuously threatening, attacking on the media outlets and journalists in Bangladesh. 

Under these circumstances the unity of the journalist organizations again fall apart which was re-united after the killing of two television journalists Sagor Sarwar and Mehrun Runi.

Two groups of journalists claimed on each other to stop party politics and to stop being activists rather than journalists.

The daily star published a report, urging about to stop attacks on Media. In a heading "Stop attacks on Media" the daily star wrote that -"Condemning the recent attacks on newsmen and desecration of the national flag and Shaheed Minars by religious fanatics, journalist leaders yesterday demanded exemplary punishment to the attackers."

In another news with a caption "Mahmudur slams the media", the Daily Star wrote that the daily Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman launched a scathing attack on the media and journalist leaders yesterday for "criticising” his stance on the Shahbagh movement. He also accused journalists of turning into activists over the Shahbagh demonstration.

  

It could be mentioned that a wave of violent attack on media from both side of the Shahbag demonstrators took place in last three weeks. A blogger was brutally killed by unidentified killers. Just after the day, a senior journalist of a online news agency was attacked by another group of unidentified people, when he was on his way back home. Some unidentified people set fire in the Daily Naya Diganta office. At least 20 Journalist injured by Police. Daily Amardesh Editor sued for 5 times. 

Different organizations like Amnesty International, Reporters without Borders, International Press Institute promoting freedom of expression raised its concerned voice for free flow of information, freedom of expression and association and the better protection of individuals in Bangladesh.

In the 2013 Press Freedom Index published by the Reporters Without Borders, Bangladesh went 15 steps down from  129 to 144, out of 179 countries in the world.