Press freedom under severe attack: NOAB

Observing that press freedom in the country is under severe attack, the Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) has expressed grave concern over the ongoing situation.

NOAB expressed the concern in a statement signed by the organisation's president AK Azad on Monday (November 25).

The statement said, “NOAB is observing with great concern that the country's media freedom is being attacked in various ways. In the meantime, incidents of sit-in, attack and vandalism have taken place in front of the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. During the last two days, some people have been trying to create chaos by taking a stand on the road in front of the Prothom Alo head office in Karwan Bazar in the capital. Later, members of the law enforcement agencies dispersed them. Such programs continued on Monday as well.”

The statement further said NOAB believes that if anyone has any objection to any news or editorial policy published by a newspaper, he can express his intellectual position and statement through writing. But such attempts of creating chaos are disrupting the practice and environment of journalism. NOAB strongly condemns such incidents. At the same time, it calls on the government to strictly suppress mob justice in all institutions, including the media.

NOAB also requests all parties concerned to refrain from activities that are against the freedom of the media.