DUJ condemns ban on 5 journalists at National Press Club

Dhaka Union of Journalists has expressed grave concern and also condemned the issuance of ban on five journalists at National Press Club and verbal warning to four others.

DUJ issued a statement in this regard on Wednesday. It said that the banning of five journalists from the National Press Club premises for raising 'Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu' slogan and demanding the opening of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) office, which has been locked for 18 months, is very worrying and shameful.

The five journalists are: DUJ Organizing Secretary Golam Mujtaba Dhruba, former Legal Affairs Secretary Saif Ali, current Treasurer Soheli Chowdhury, Executive Council Member Sajeda Haque and journalist Rahima Khanam.

In the statement, the leaders said, 'The slogan ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu’ is inextricably linked to the history of Bangladesh’s great liberation war. This cannot be denied. Banning journalists from the press club for raising this slogan is an attack on freedom of speech.'

The DUJ also called the incident of referring to professional journalists as ‘outsiders’ unacceptable and disrespectful. In addition, the issue of giving warning to DUJ former president Quddus Afrad, president Sajjad Alam Khan Topu, former president of the Sub Editors Council Zakir Hossain Emon and senior member Rezaul Karim, has also been condemned.

In the statement, the leaders demanded that the union office must open, the expulsion or suspension of journalists for not following the constitution should be reinstated, and journalists imprisoned in false cases should be released.