Editors’ Council condemns attacks on journalists, demands action against perpetrators

The Editors’ Council has expressed deep concern over and condemned recent incidents of attacks, threats, harassment and obstruction of journalists while they were performing their professional duties in different parts of the country.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday by President Nurul Kabir and General Secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmud, the council described the latest incident involving attacks on journalists at Rajshahi University as “deeply concerning”.

It said the journalists were not acting on behalf of any particular side; rather, they were carrying out their responsibility to gather information and report the news in the public interest.

According to the statement, the Editors’ Council firmly believes that disagreement with any news report, opinion or professional activity of a journalist can never justify attacks, threats or obstruction of their professional duties. 

“An attack on a journalist is not merely an assault on a professional; it is an attack on independent journalism, freedom of expression and the public’s right to know.”

Welcoming the filing of a case and the initiative to investigate the Rajshahi University incident, the council said the investigation must be impartial, credible and evidence-based, and those involved in the attack must be brought to justice without considering their political or organisational identities.

In the statement, the council put forward a five-point demand. 

These included swift and impartial investigations into all recent attacks, threats and harassment of journalists; exemplary legal action against those involved in the attacks, regardless of their identities or political affiliations; a safe environment for journalists to perform their professional duties at political programmes, universities, courts, administrative offices and other public gatherings; an immediate end to obstruction, intimidation and harassment of journalists while performing their professional duties; and a clear commitment from political parties and their affiliated organisations to the safety of journalists and independent journalism.

“The Editors Council believes that the safety of journalists is not a special privilege; rather, it is an essential condition for a free, democratic and accountable society,” read the statement.

As independent journalism is impossible in an environment of fear, threats and violence, the council urged the government, law enforcement agencies, political parties, educational institutions and all other parties concerned to take swift, visible and lawful action in every attack on journalists and adopt effective measures to prevent such incidents in the future.