Attack on media continues

An ominous sign

We are outraged at the attacks on journalists of different media outlets by the BCL over the last two days. Reportedly, on Sunday, some ruling party men swooped on the journalists who were performing their duty covering the ongoing student movement with sticks, iron rods and machetes. What is more appalling is the fact that this happened in the presence of the law enforcers who, reportedly, played the role of silent spectators. Not only that, the police even detained two photojournalists of a photo agency.

This, we repeat, is a violation of the media's constitutional right to free expression, press freedom and the right to information, and is totally unacceptable in a democracy. In this regard, we are also alarmed to learn that Shahidul Alam, an internationally acclaimed photographer and a social activist, was picked up from his home by the police on Sunday night and charged under section 57 of the ICT Act. 

The government's resistance to free flow of information is becoming increasingly sterner. What is even more worrisome is the fact that the so-called ruling party cadres are singling out journalists of particular newspapers among those covering the incidents with, we fear, very sinister motives. Targeting the photojournalists, and preventing them from doing their work has made very obvious the administration's effort to conceal the violent methods it is applying to suppress a popular demand. It cannot be lost on the policymakers that in this day of modern technology, nothing can remain unobtrusive, certainly not for long. Unfortunately, the image of the country has suffered, not because of what the students have done but because of the way the government has handled the issue.

• Courtesy: The Daily Star /Editorial/ Aug 07, 2018