Gazipur City Correspondent

A human chain and protest rally were held in Gazipur demanding the immediate arrest of those involved in the brutal attack on Mohammad Sharif Omar Tutul, Office Secretary of Gacha Thana Press Club and Gazipur Metropolitan Correspondent of Dainik Protidiner Kagoj.

The human chain was held at 11:00 am on Tuesday in front of the Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Headquarters. Leaders of various journalists’ organizations in Gazipur, along with journalists from print and electronic media, participated in the program.

The program was presided over by Md. Anisur Islam, President of Gacha Thana Press Club, and conducted by Md. Ibrahim Khalil, Sports and Cultural Affairs Secretary of Gazipur District Journalists Unity Council and Gazipur Correspondent of Dainik Ajker Awaj.

Speakers said that an attack on a journalist is not merely an attack on an individual; rather, it is an attempt to silence independent journalism and the voice of the mass media. They demanded that those involved in the attack on journalist Tutul be identified and brought under the law immediately. Otherwise, they warned that the journalist community would be compelled to announce tougher programs.

The speakers declared from the human chain that “the path of truth cannot be blocked by attacking journalists.” They said the journalist community would continue its united protest until the attackers are arrested.

Speakers alleged that on August 13, while journalist Tutul was recording a video of a confrontation involving locally made weapons between two groups over control of a garment factory’s jhut (garment-waste) business, the father and son allegedly attacked him with locally made weapons. He was subsequently taken to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital in Gazipur for treatment.

A case was later filed at Gacha Metro Police Station on behalf of journalist Tutul.

Md. Sohel Mia, General Secretary of Gacha Thana Press Club; Md. Rafiqul Islam, Senior Vice President of Gacha Thana Press Club; Abdul Bari, General Secretary of Bangladesh Press Club, Gazipur Metro Branch; Md. Arif Mridha, Founding General Secretary of Gacha Press Club; Md. Arif Hossain, former General Secretary of Gacha Journalists Club; Md. Samsuddin Jewel, President of Gacha Journalists Club; Md. Chhanullah Bhuiyan, Joint General Secretary of Dhaka Press Club; Md. Parvez Mia, Religious Affairs Secretary of Gazipur District Journalists Unity Council; Md. Monir Hossain, General Secretary of Gazipur City Press Club; M. Akhtaruzzaman, Chairman of Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Foundation and General Secretary of Gazipur Metropolitan Press Club; Hasan Mia, Member Secretary of the Journalists’ Persecution Prevention Committee, Gazipur Metropolitan; Md. Akhtar Hossain, President of Gazipur Journalists Unity and Special Correspondent of Protidiner Kagoj; Sazzakul Islam Razzak, President of Bason Metro Thana Press Club; and Nasima Akter Renu, President of Bangladesh Women Journalists Press Club spoke.