Editors worried over harassment of correspondents

The Editors' Council has expressed deep concern over the growing incidents of repression and harassment against local correspondents of national dailies by police, influential politicians and local goons.
The Council in a statement, issued on Tuesday by its General Secretary and Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, said the platform of editors of the national newspapers in its recent meeting has discussed the incident of torture on Baufal correspondent of daily Prothom Alo Mizanur Rahman in police custody.
The meeting was held on April 4 at the Daily Star office with Daily Samakal Editor Golam Sarwar in the chair.
The statement said the meeting widely discussed the Patuakhali District Civil Surgeon's medical report on physical condition of Mizanur Rahman, which found signs of torture that could cause severe damage to his kidneys.
Mentioning that the ill-fated journalist has been kept in police custody although he needs treatment on emergency basis, it said: "The Editors' Council strongly condemned the incident and demanded justice in this connection."
The meeting also decided to hold a meeting with local correspondents working with the Council's member dailies in the face of rise in number of such incidents.
The organisation also expressed concern over a recent letter of the Press Council to the editors, which put in place some conditions on the activities of professional journalists.
The Council reiterated its commitment towards playing a strong role in protecting freedom of press and discharging professional duties of journalists. The meeting was also attended by Matiur Rahman (Prothom Alo), Mahfuz Anam (The Daily Star), AHM Moazzem Hossain (The Financial Express),Tasmima Hossain (Ittefaq),  Khandaker Muniruzzaman (Sangbad), Nurul Kabir (New Age), Shaymal Dutta (Bhorer Kagoj), Emdadul Huq Milion (Kaler Kantha), Nayeem Nizam (Bangladesh Protidin), Alamgir Mahiuddin (Naya Diganta), AMM Bahauddin (Inquilab), Mozammel Haque (Karatoa), Dewan Hanif Mahmud (Bonik Barta) and Zafar Sobhan (Dhaka Tribune).
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