Press freedom under serious attack: NOAB

The Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (Noab) has expressed deep concern over recent incidents of vandalism and tension in front of some of the country's media offices, stating that freedom of press is under serious attack. 

The organisation strongly condemned such incidents in a statement today, signed by its President AK Azad.

"Incidents of sit-ins, attacks and vandalism have occurred in front of the offices of Prothom Alo and Daily Star. For the past two days, some people have been trying to create chaos by gathering in front of the Prothom Alo head office in Karwan Bazar. Later, police dispersed them. Such programmes continued even today," said Noab.

Noab believes that if someone has any objection to any news or editorial policy presented by a newspaper, they can express their intellectual position and statement in writing. "But such attempts at creating chaos are disrupting the media and the practice of journalism."

The organisation called on the government to strictly suppress mob justice in all institutions, including the media. 

Noab also urged all parties concerned to refrain from activities that jeaopardise media freedom.

The statement came against the backdrop of five people being detained yesterday after the police removed protesters who were attempting to hold a mass feast in front of the Bangla daily Prothom Alo's office in the capital's Karwan Bazar area. 

A group of people, comprising teachers and students of various Islamic institutes, had gathered in front of the office in the afternoon to protest what they called the newspaper leaning towards Indian hegemony.  

Earlier, a protest programme was held on Thursday under the same banner. 

The following day, a protest over a similar accusation was held in front of English newspaper The Daily Star's office.

There it was announced that cows would be slaughtered and a feast would be held in front of both the newspapers' offices.