‘Jamalpur journos at risk of attacks’

The Mukto Prakash (Forum for Freedom of Expression, Bangladesh) has said that journalists of Jamalpur are at risk of attacks by a section of locally influential quarters.

The organisation, representing national and international media rights activists, made the claim at a press conference at DRU in the capital on Sunday after its team visited Jamalpur recently.

Dr Aireen Jaman, president of the organisation and general secretary of PEN International Bangladesh, said a total of 48 journalists had already lodged general diaries with Sadar Police Station seeking their life security.

An attempt was made to kill two journalists — Mustafa Monju and Shelu Akand — a few months ago, she said.

Of them, Shelu is undergoing treatment for multiple fractures on both of his legs at National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Pangu Hospital) for more than two months.

Shelu is a Jamalpur correspondent of Bangla Bazar Patrika and a reporter of local newspaper Dainik Palli Kantho Protidin.

He came under attack, as he was number two eyewitness in a case filed seven months ago for another attack on the daily Kaler Kantho’s Correspondent Mustafa Monju by a group of men led by Jamalpur Municipality Councillor Hasanuzzaman Khan Aka Runu.