Kotalipara (Gopalganj) Correspondent

Journalists in Kotalipara, Gopalganj organized a human chain and protest rally condemning the recent attack on Mizanur Rahman Bulu, Kotalipara correspondent of Kaler Kantho, and H. M. Mehedi Hasanath, Correspondent of Jugantor.

The program was held under the banner of journalists working in Kotalipara upazila.

On Wednesday  at around 12:00 p.m., journalists formed a one-hour human chain at the Central Shaheed Minar premises in Kotalipara upazila. During the demonstration, they raised slogans demanding the immediate arrest and trial of the perpetrators. Journalists from across Gopalganj district also expressed solidarity with the program.

During the protest rally, presided over by Kotalipara Press Club President and Jugantor correspondent H. M. Mehedi Hasanath, several journalists, including injured Kaler Kantho correspondent Mizanur Rahman Bulu, Ratan Sen Konkon, F. M. Mahbub Sultan, Promoth Ranjan Sarkar, Kazi Palash, Roni Ahmed, and Samir Roy, delivered speeches. Journalists from various media outlets were present on the occasion.

Injured journalist Mizanur Rahman Bulu of Kaler Kantho said, on  10 August, Kaler Kantho Online published a report titled ‘Allegations of Deception Against Multiple Women by Kotalipara Women Affairs Office Assistant Md. Bahauddin Daria.’ Following this report, on Tuesday around 2:00 p.m., me  and Jugantor correspondent Mehedi Hasanath were intercepted and attacked near the Borobridge area of Kotalipara municipal market. Government employee Md. Bahauddin Daria and several leaders and activists of the local BNP were directly involved in the attack. I urge the police administration to arrest the culprits immediately and ensure justice.”

Kotalipara Press Club President and Jugantor correspondent H. M. Mehedi Hasanath said.,incidents of journalist persecution are happening repeatedly across the country. As part of this pattern, two journalists have now been attacked in Kotalipara. A government employee along with BNP leaders are involved in this incident. The perpetrators must be arrested without delay and punished accordingly.

He further announced, if the culprits are not arrested, starting from tomorrow (Thursday), journalists will observe a one-hour sit-in and pen-down strike for three consecutive days. If the demands are still ignored, we will announce tougher programs. 

Meanwhile, leaders of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Gana Odhikar Parishad visited the injured journalists, Mizanur Rahman Bulu and H. M. Mehedi Hasanath, expressing solidarity and pledging to stand by them.

On the other hand, journalists from various print and electronic media outlets and journalist organizations based in Gopalganj have strongly condemned the attack. They demanded the immediate arrest of those involved and their prosecution under the law.