'Enact law to ensure safety of journalists'

All the political parties should come on one platform now to ensure safety of the media persons, they said.

The School of Democracy and Governance organised the roundtable titled 'Measures to ensure security of journalists' at the Cirdap auditorium in the city.

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The political parties should frame a policy together to stop torture and harassment of newsmen, said Mahi B Chowdhury, a BNP lawmaker and son of former president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury.

Demanding security measures for the journalists, he said the government should also provide insurance facilities to protect them from torture.

As the attackers now go unpunished, they even feel encouraged to attack the newsmen, Mahi said.

"The journalists will have to put pressure on the government to get quick justice for the victims of harassment."

The School of Democracy and Governance would launch a series of programmes to create pressure on the government to this end, he added. Mahi is the president of the school.

Speaking as chief guest, the New Age Editor Enayetullah Khan said the journalists were being tortured due to absence of the rule of law and abuse of the law in the country.

He said the district correspondents are more vulnerable to harassment than those working in Dhaka city. Sections 501 and 502 of the penal code are the main weapons to harass journalists, he added.

Awami League lawmaker Farook Kahn called on the politicians and members of the civil society to work together to enact a law ensuring safety of the journalists and quick justice for the victims.

Jatiya Party lawmaker GM Kader said the political parties use criminals during the national and local elections for their own interest. As a result, the elections were not held in a free and fair manner, he said, adding that if this process continues, no-one would be safe.

Saleem Samad, special correspondent of The Bangladesh Observer, presented a case study.

Tipu Sultan, staff correspondent of the Prothom Alo, stressed the need for raising a medical support fund for the journalists.

He also suggested building a network with the press clubs across the country in this regard.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haque Inu, AP bureau chief Farid Hossain and Khairuzzaman Kamal of Bangladesh Human Rights Journalists' Association also spoke.

The School of Democracy also presented a visual presentation on torture on Tipu Sultan and killing of Shamsur Rahman and Manik Chandra Saha at the beginning of the conference.