DHAKA, Sept 13, 2024 (BSS) - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today called upon all to keeping up unity in upholding the victory achieved through the student-masses revolution against fascist and autocrat Sheikh Hasina.

“Victory will be upheld if we can keep up the unity. Evil efforts are being made in an orchestrated way to destroy our unity. We will have to resist it,” he told a reception ceremony at Jatiya Press Club auditorium here.            

Jatiya Press Club, BFUJ, DUJ, Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) and Journalists' Cooperative Society Limited accorded the reception to journalist Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey, editor of online portal justnewsbd.com Editor and executive director of Washington-based rights organization Right to Freedom Executive Director, marking his returning home from the USA after a long exile.

Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey raised his strong voice at the United Nations and White House against the longstanding misrule of the fascist government and enforced disappearance, killings, repression and farcical elections taken place during the regime.

The BNP Secretary General said many people became victims of repression and torture during dictatorial regime of Sheikh Hasina and journalist Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey was one of them.

Due to misrule of fascist Hasina, many people couldn’t stay in the country and many people joined struggle against the autocrat staying abroad, he said adding that “We took part in the movement staying in the country.”

Describing Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey as the real hero of Bangladesh, Mirza Fakhrul said the journalist had played a unique role in the struggle for restoring democracy and freedom of expression and toppling the fascist regime.

He urged the journalists to maintain professionalism and journalistic ethics in collecting information and presenting news reports.

In the reception ceremony, different organizations handed over flower bouquets to journalist Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey to honor him.

Ansarey said the people of Bangladesh are very fortunate as they got Nobel Laureate Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus as the head of the interim government.

Describing Dr Yunus as a completely a kind person, he hoped the chief adviser of the interim government will definitely work for the well being of the country and its people.

The journalist also hoped the advisers of the government will meet the hopes and aspirations of the masses.

About the country’s media, Ansarey said: “We don’t closure of any media. But beneficiaries and cohorts of the ousted autocrat are still running most of the media houses. Pro-people and objective journalists will have to take the responsibility to this end as media can reflect the hopes and aspirations of the masses”.

He said they continued raising voice against the autocrat Hasina government staying at quite safe place though their families had to face harassment in various ways. But the contributions of those who continued fight staying at home cannot be forgotten, he added.

“Sheikh Hasina’s government tried to persuade me in various ways. But I took it as a motto to discharge my duty with sincerity,” he said.

He requested all not to post the photographs of the reception ceremony in facebook saying the time is not for festival.

“Please don’t increase the mental pains of the families of martyrs by posting these photos. May Allah grant everyone the pride of martyr to them,” he said.

Jatiya Press Club (JPC) former General Secretary Syed Abdal Ahmed chaired the ceremony while noted lyricist Maniruzzaman Manir, JPC former President Kamal Uddin Sabuj, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) former President M Abdullah, BFUJ Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury, JPC General Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Shahidul Islam and General Secretary Khurshid Alam, journalist leaders poet Abdul Hie Shikder, Elahi Newaz Khan Saju, Mursalin Nomani, Elias Khan and Jahangir Alam Pradhan also spoke.

Dainik Amar Desh News Editor Zahed Chowdhury and DUJ Organizing Secretary M Sayeed Khan moderated it. Journalist Shafiul Alam Dolon delivered welcome address.

Jahangirnagar University Vice-Chancellor (VC) Dr Kamrul Ahsan, Patuakhali University of Science and Technology former VC Dr Abdul Latif Masum, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology former VC Moslem Uddin Tareq, former JASAS leader Mosharraf Hossain Thakur, human rights activist Nur Khan Liton, Deputy Attorney General Advocate Rezaul Karim Reza, Government Employees Welfare Society leader Dr Neyamut Ullah, Gono Odhikar Parishad leader Tareq Rahman, poet Reza Uddin Stalin and a good number of journalists were present.

The journalist leaders and newsmen expressed their jubilation getting journalist Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey among them after a long time.

Teachers, lawyers, agriculturists, physicians and individuals of different professions were present.

Many journalists who became victim of torture during the autocrat Sheikh Hasina government described their bitter experiences on the occasion and lauded the role of journalist Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey at the international arena.