Five journalists were injured in attacks by Hefajat-e Islam activists

Five journalists were injured in attacks allegedly by Hefajat-e Islam activists in the capital, Dhaka, Saturday afternoon.

Nadia Sharmin, Crime reporter of Ekushey TV

Nadia Sharmin, 24, a crime reporter of Ekushey TV, was beaten by the Hafajat activists. The attacks took place when a post-long march grand rally of Hefajat was going on at Motijheel Shapla Chattar.

Sources at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) said a group of alleged Hefajat workers beat up Nadia near Jatiya Party office at Bijoynagar, while Nadia was at work. She was doing an interview and finishing her assignment.

Sujan, 28, photographer of the Daily Ittefaq came under attack at Paltan crossing.

Sohel Rana, cameraman of ATN news was attacked by the Hefajat activists while he was in front of Notre Dame College. Sohel was injured and police rescued him from the violent Hefajat activists. Police took him to Rajar Bag Police hospital and he was admitted there.

International organisations concerned and call for bloggers release.

At least three international organisations expressed their concern for the arrest of four bloggers in Bangladesh. They called the government for their immediate release.

International Journalist Federation (IFJ), Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ), Reporters without Borders (RSF) have published their own press release in their website for the immediate release of four bloggers.  

In a statement released by International Journalist Federation (IFJ) says, The arrest of the four bloggers is seen as an effort by the ruling Awami League party to neutralise the counter-mobilisation by the Islamist party. Bangladesh’s Home Minister has since said that the government has a list of another seven “atheist bloggers” who could soon be arrested. Journalists in Bangladesh are disturbed by these developments and by the government’s stated intent to monitor blog content and initiate criminal action against alleged offenders."

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.

Journalists urged to stop attack on media.

By Bangladesh Media;  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."

"If there is any further attack on journalists and media from the defeated forces of 1971, they [attackers] will be resisted with full strength," Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, president of a faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), told a rally before the Jatiya Press Club, the daily star wrote.

At least 20 Journalist injured by Police.

By Anwar Hossain; The marauding activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir and some other Islamist parties clashed with police and pro-ruling party people across the country before and after Juma prayers yesterday, resulting in a large number of casualties and arrests.

The Islamists vandalised and torched Gonojagoron Mancha and Shaheed Minar as they protested the Shahbagh movement, which is to demand death penalty for war criminals.

Apart from deaths, scores of people, including police and journalists, were injured in the violence, report published in daily newspapers in Bangladesh.

Chief photo journalist of the Daily Amardesh, Mir Ahmed Miru was bullet injured by police, while he was performing his duty in the area of Baitul Mokarrom Mosque. His colleague took him to hospital and then he went through a surgery. 

12 blogs, Facebook pages blocked by the Government

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has closed 12 blogs and Facebook pages including ‘Sonar Bangla’ and ‘Basher Kella’ reportedly run by people tied to Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing over last few days. BDnews24 Reports.

The closure by the BTRC’s Computer Security Incident Response Team has come as those blogs and pages have been accused of spreading hatred and hurting religious sentiment of the people.

“The blogs and pages of the social networking website have been shut down in line with law, not considering any political line,” BTRC Vice Chairman Giasuddin Ahmed told bdnews24.com. Ahmed is also the Convenor of the security response team, which is assigned to ensure cyber security.

The official said his team acts against any distasteful write-ups and photos or any other online postings that could undermine the state, society, any political group or religion.

News agency bdnews24.com journalist attacked

The first online daily newspaper and news agency in Bangladesh BD NEWS 24 reports that the Senior Correspondent of bdnews24.com Sumon Mahbub was attacked early on Wednesday on his way back home from Shahbagh, the heart of the massive demonstrations against war crimes.

As he was heading home around 1:00am, a private car crashed into his motorcycle near Dhaka Gate in Banani, leaving him seriously injured in hands and legs.

The car sped away as Sumon lay on the ground, writhing in pain.

“This was a planned attack. I have no doubts,” said the 39-year-old journalist.

Sumon had to go to Shahbagh often for professional interests since demonstrations there began on Feb 5 asking for death penalty for all convicted war criminals. He said anyone could have kept an eye on his movements from there.

Bangladeshis made demonstration outside the UN Conference.

By Anwar Hossain; Bangladeshi citizens and journalists living in different countries in the European Union has made a demonstration in front of the UN International Conference center when the 2 days UN conference on the safety of journalists started in Vienna! 

It called for the UN to investigate the murders of journalists in Bangladesh.It may be mentioned that four journalists were murdered last 10 months of this year in Bangladesh. Many were arrested and tortured by the law enforcement authorities.

Journalists wounded in newsroom attack in Bangladesh

CPJ New York, May 29, 2012; The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Monday night's attack on the offices of an Internet news outlet in Dhaka in which at least nine journalists were wounded.

A group of at least 15 unidentified men, all carrying sharp objects including machetes, broke into the newsroom of bdnews24.com, a local media outlet that presents news in both Bangla and English, news reports said. The men attacked and stabbed journalists and other staff members, and vandalized the staff's vehicles in the parking lot, the website reported.

Abdur Rahim Harmacchi, a senior reporter at the news site who was slightly injured in the attack, told Agence France-Presse that after the men entered the office, "they started hacking some of our colleagues on the office's ground floor." 

Journalist Slaughtered in Bangladesh.

By Anwar Hossain, An elderly journalist and his wife were found dead with throats slit at their Naya Paltan residence in the capital of Bangladesh yesterday. Farhad Khan, 60, senior assistant editor of the daily Janata, his wife and Rahima, 55, had been residing on the first floor of a three-storey building on Masjid Road over the past 12 years.

The journalists murdered figure have taken place the number 33 including this journalist killing in Bangladesh since 1990. Despite this there is no report about the situation of press in Bangladesh. Reporters Without Boarder didn’t show up to express the international concern. I don’t know why? Probly they are not informed?!? Is that so? I don’t believe that ….

We demand Justice for violation of the constitution

To

The Police Commissioner of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

As per the constitution,

Article 36: Freedom of Movement
Subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the public interest, every citizen shall have the right to move freely throughout Bangladesh, to reside and settle in any place therein and to leave and re-enter Bangladesh.

Article 37. Freedom of assembly
Every citizen shall have the right to assemble and to participate in public meetings and processions peacefully and without arms, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interests of public order health.

Drik Gallery shut over exhibition on 'crossfire'

By Anwar Hossain, Police on Monday shut down Drik Gallery in Dhanmondi just before the start of a photo exhibition on extra judicial killings by the Rapid Action Battalion, saying the exhibition would create ‘unrest.’ Drik Gallery officials told The Daily Star that the gallery was closed around 3:30pm, which was set to start the exhibition of photos by Shahidul Alam styled 'Crossfire' at 4:00pm. 

The organisers said a police team led by Dhanmondi police chief Shah Alam entered the premises of Drik