The National Editors Council (NEC) has expressed deep concern and condemnation over the bomb attack at the premises of ‘Amar Desh’ press in the capital’s Tejgaon area on Sunday night.
A security guard at the ‘Amar Desh’ press was injured in the incident. At the same time, another unexploded, bomb-like object was discovered a short distance away at the scene. The ‘Amar Desh’ authorities have filed a General Diary (GD) regarding the incident with the Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station.
In a joint statement on Monday, Shafik Rehman — president of the National Editors Council (NEC) and Editor of ‘Jai Jay Din’ , Vice-President Abdul Hai Sikdar, Editor of ‘Jugantor’ and Treasurer Shafiqul Alam, Editor of “Wadaa’ condemned the incident and demanded that those involved be arrested and brought to justice.
They viewed the bomb attacks on newspaper offices and printing presses as part of a deeper conspiracy aimed at striking a blow against freedom of the press.
They hoped that law enforcement agencies would promptly take the necessary action in this regard.
Notably, during the tenure of the Awami League government in 2010, a crude bomb (cocktail) was hurled at the vehicle of ‘Amar Desh’ Editor Mahmudur Rahman, and his car was also attacked with hammers at the Tejgaon Sat Rasta intersection.
The NEC leaders hoped that such despicable attacks on the media will not recur again.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) have expressed deep concern and condemnation over the bombing of the ‘Amar Desh’ newspaper’s press, as well as the discovery of an unexploded bomb on the street, near the printing press..
In a joint statement, BFUJ President Obaidur Rahman Shahin and Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury, DUJ President Md. Shahidul Islam and General Secretary Khurshid Alam, yesterday stated that the bomb attacks on newspaper offices and printing presses are nothing short of a severe assault on independent media and journalism.
During the period of fascist rule, those who carried out arson and vandalism at newspaper offices or attacked journalists ultimately did not escape accountability. Journalists will continue to confront such actions by taking to the streets in the future as well.
The journalist leaders demanded that those involved in this despicable incident is brought to justice immediately and that exemplary punishment be ensured.
The BFUJ and DUJ leaders expressed the hope that law enforcement agencies would take prompt and necessary action in this regard.