The freedom of the press remains under threat, despite the promises made following the mass uprising on August 5 and the creation of the new Bangladesh, according to the Editors Council.
Ensuring press freedom was one of the key objectives of the new state, and this commitment has been repeatedly emphasized by the interim government and various relevant parties.
The Editors Council has expressed deep concern, noting that while there have been assurances to protect the environment for independent journalism; press freedom is still under attack by certain sections of society.
Recently, there have been incidents of threats to raid and block the offices of leading media outlets in the country. For example, Prothom Alo, Daily Star, and several other newspapers have had to request increased security from law enforcement agencies for their headquarters.
The Editors Council has also highlighted the need for security agencies to take swift action to protect media offices.
The Editors Council believes that if anyone has objections to the news or editorial policies presented by any publication, they are welcome to express their intellectual stance and opinions through writing. However, attempts to silence the media through threats and intimidation are simply a repeat of the past practices that harmed the public.
The Editors Council strongly condemns such actions, which aim to stifle independent journalism and undermine the press environment.
Furthermore, the Editors Council has called on the government to take stern action to curb any attempts to suppress the media, including the mob justice against those behind such acts. It also urged all parties involved to refrain from activities that go against the principles of press freedom.
This appeal was made during a meeting held at Daily Star headquarters on Monday.
The meeting was chaired by Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, and was attended by Prothom Alo Editor Motiur Rahman, Manab Zamin Editor-in-chief Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, New Age Editor Nurul Kabir, Ajker Patrika Editor Dr Md Golam Rahman, Financial Express Editor Shamsul Haque Zahid, Jugantor Editor Saiful Alam, Ittefaq Editor Tasmima Hossain, Banik Barta Editor and Publisher Dewan Hanif Mahmud, Sangbad Editor Altamash Kabir, Dhaka Tribune Editor Zafar Sobhan, Desh Rupantor Editor Mustafa Mamun, and Sangbad Executive Editor Shahriar Karim.