Rajshahi Press Club holds protest against yellow journalism, malicious propaganda
Rajshahi Bureau
The Rajshahi Press Club has held a protest meeting in response to what it described as yellow journalism and a series of malicious campaigns targeting professional journalists in Rajshahi. At the meeting, the club leaders warned that legal action would be taken against those involved.
The protest meeting was held on Wednesday at Bhuban Mohan Park in Rajshahi city. The meeting was chaired by Rajshahi Press Club Senior Vice-President Sarker Shariful Islam and moderated by General Secretary Golam Mostafa Mamun. General members of the press club and senior journalists were present.
Speaking at the meeting, Rajshahi Press Club General Secretary Golam Mostafa Mamun alleged that a banner used at a human chain organised under the banner of the “Journalist Community” in Rajshahi contained photographs of elected leaders of the Rajshahi Press Club along with defamatory and insulting statements. He said such acts clearly constitute criminal offences and are subject to legal proceedings.
The press club leaders further alleged that a particular criminal group was behind the campaign. They claimed that individuals whose alleged misconduct had recently been reported by several media outlets had hired outsiders and people of questionable backgrounds to stage the human chain and spread baseless allegations against the press club leaders.
Mamun said, “Who are the people who organised the human chain using the name of the journalist community of Rajshahi? What exactly is their journalistic identity? The Rajshahi Press Club is run strictly in accordance with its constitution, and it will continue to operate accordingly.”
Regarding the club’s election, he said, “Those who are making baseless statements about the Rajshahi Press Club should know that the club’s constitutional election will be held next December. Only legitimate members of the club will have the right to vote in the election. Yet, in the name of a human chain, outsiders, including alleged criminals and drug dealers, were brought in from outside Rajshahi to damage the reputation of the club through propaganda. We will take strict legal action against those who distort photographs of club members and circulate defamatory statements.”
The journalists attending the protest meeting demanded an immediate end to such conspiracies and malicious propaganda. They warned that otherwise, the press club would announce tougher programmes to protect its dignity and reputation.
