BFUJ, DUJ express concern over misuse of DSA
The organisations also criticised Prothom Alo for being irresponsible and unprofessional while publishing news undermining the independence of the country
Bangladesh Federal Journalists Union (BFUJ) and Dhaka Journalists Union (DUJ) have expressed deep concern over the recent arrests of journalists in cases filed under the Digital Security Act, misuse of the law, and irresponsible and unprofessional journalism of daily Prothom Alo.
BFUJ president Omar Faruq and General Secretary Deep Azad, and DUJ president Sohel Haider Chowdhury and General Secretary Aktar Hossain expressed their concern in a joint statement on behalf of the two organisations on Saturday (1 April).
"The photo card circulated by Prothom Alo online on 26 March, our great Independence Day, with a child's picture and a different person's statement, is a great example of professional failure on the part of the newspaper's editor and newsroom personnel. The photo card was quickly withdrawn, but public confusion was already created. There is good reason to believe that the quote of the person of different identity with the picture of the child was intentionally used," reads the statement.
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It stated that, "Giving the child financial support from the journalist and using him as journalistic material is also not acceptable from the point of view of professional journalism."
The organisations also raised concern that the anxious situation created by using the Digital Security Act regarding this incident could have been avoided.
They reiterated their call for incorporating a provision in the Digital Security Act under which any complaint raised against a journalist should be sent to the Press Council to decide its 'prima facie'.
The misuse of the law should be stopped until these measures are taken, the statement added.
BFUJ and DUJ also termed a joint statement issued by the diplomats of 12 countries as unwarranted.
"Journalist society considers the intervention of foreign diplomats in this issue as an interference on the independence and sovereignty of the country," read the statement.
"If someone commits a crime or a mistake, there is a way to solve it according to the prevailing laws of the country. But the way foreign diplomats are meddling with the country's internal affairs is a cause of concern," it said.
