DHAKA, Sept 22, 2024 (BSS) – Speakers at a discussion at the National Press Club (JPC) today urged all to come forward to forge strong resistance against national and international conspiracies to build a discrimination-free Bangladesh.

The ghosts of the fascist and autocratic Sheikh Hasina government are hatching conspiracies at home and abroad to destabilize the country, they said, adding, these conspiracies should be resisted with an iron hand to build an equitable and transparent Bangladesh.

In association with the JPC, the USA based organization ‘Love Share BD-US’ organized the discussion titled ‘The role of the journalists community in the downfall of the autocratic Sheikh Hasina government and what to do now’.

Chaired by JPC President and Kalerkantho, a Bangla daily, Editor Hasan Hafiz, US expatriate noted journalist Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey addressed the event as the chief guest.

Families of five journalists, who were killed during the student-people uprising, were given financial assistance in the programme.

Recalling journalists who embraced martyrdom during the student-people uprising, the speakers said the sacrifices of the journalists should never be forgotten. All should come forward to build a beautiful Bangladesh showing respect to these revolutionary pioneers (journalists), they added.

JPC former President Kamal Uddin Sabuj, Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust (BJWT) Mohammad Abdullah, JPC General Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan, Poet and Journalist Abdul Hai Shikder, JPC Former General Secretary Elias Khan, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Shahidul Islam and General Secretary Khurshid Alam, Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) former President Mursalin Nomani, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Assistant Secretary General Basir Jamal and Love Share BD-US Director Fazle Elahi took part at the discussion, among others.

News Editor of the Bangla daily Dainik Amar Desh Jahed Chowdhury moderated the event.

Speaking at the discussion, Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey, who was one of the victims of fascist Awami League government, said this the interim government has a lot of responsibility in building the country.

This government has been formed through a bloody student-people mass revolution, he said, adding that no one has the words to console the families of those killed and injured in the anti-discrimination student movement.

“I saw a man who lost his two legs and blood was still clotted in the wounds in his body . . . but with a smile of relief, he was saying ‘brother yes! We made it”, Ansarey said.

“We are fortunate to have Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus as the head of the interim government of Bangladesh. With whose name we are also enlightened. When we go to different places outside the country, we say, Dr Muhammad Yunus took charge of the government in Bangladesh,” he also said, adding that hearing this news, other foreigners breathe a sigh of relief.

In the last 15 years, many journalists were sacked from their jobs and many have been facing financial problems and leading an inhuman life, Ansarey said, urging all to come forward spontaneously to bring a change into this situation.

Noting that 266 journalists were injured during the student-people movement, he urged the JPC authority, editors of newspapers, chiefs of journalist related institutions and leaders of trade bodies to preserve a database of those journalists.

JPC President Poet Hasan Hafiz said, “We should not betray with those who sacrificed themselves to build a new Bangladesh. Otherwise, this movement, revolution and success will fail”.
 
JPC General Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan said many people including journalists from Teknaf to Tetulia were killed and injured in this revolution. He urged all to come forward to help the injured journalists and families of those who were killed.
 
Family members of martyred journalists Hasan Mehedi, Tahir Zaman Priyo and Shakil Hossain were present at the programme.