Dhaka-based sports journalists formed a human chain in front of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur Saturday demanding justice for the brutality against students and the citizens of the country.
The journalists also advocated for an equal society.
The protest from the journalists representing different leading news outlets of the country came amid the ongoing protests that had been triggered last month with the movement called by the students for quota reform in government jobs.
The human chain started at 12pm and saw the participation of over a hundred journalists.
The event concluded with a minute of silence in honor of those who lost their lives due to the ongoing tension between the citizens and the Bangladesh government.
“There are no words to express the grief for what has happened and is still happening. I am here not just as a sports journalist, but as a free citizen of a free country. I am deeply saddened and grieving. We should have raised our voices earlier. This brutality must be stopped at any cost. Those responsible have not fulfilled their duties. How many more years do we have to bear the consequences of these incidents? I demand a thorough investigation of each incident, not a mere eyewash,” said ATM Sayeeduzzaman, Sports Editor of Daily Kaler Kantho.
Another veteran sports journalist Shamim Chowdhury spoke about the journalists who were killed while covering the anti-discrimination movement.
“We still do not know the exact number of those killed in this movement. We are hearing different numbers from various sources. Among them, five journalists lost their lives while performing their duties. On behalf of sports journalists, we pray for the departed souls and demand credible and just investigations into each death,” said Shamim.
Senior sports journalist Noman Mohammad pressed that the journalists have gathered from a sense of responsibility and with expectation of a better Bangladesh in future.
“According to a UNICEF report, 32 children have died. Those children could have been ours. For whom are we building this country? For whom are we trying to rebuild this country? For our next generation. If they are not safe in this country, then who is? That is why we, sports journalists, are standing here with a demand - to stop the brutality against students and citizens that has been happening for over two weeks. Let it stop immediately. We demand the assurance of natural death,” said Noman.
The protest so far has seen more than 200 people killed.
