The National Citizen Party (NCP) has condemned the assault on three journalists in Shariatpur and a subsequent threat allegedly made by a local BNP leader against another journalist, demanding the immediate arrest of those involved.
In a joint statement, the NCP convener and member secretary described the incidents as an attack on press freedom, freedom of expression and democratic rights.
The incident occurred last Tuesday morning when journalists were covering a protest march and rally organised by the district BNP in front of the Shariatpur Deputy Commissioner’s Office.
The journalists who came under attack were Zahid Hasan of The Daily Star, Bidhan Majumder, a correspondent for News24 Television and Jago News, and Barkat Molla, district correspondent for Manab Zamin.
According to the NCP statement, another journalist later contacted Arifuzzaman Molla, joint general secretary of the Shariatpur district BNP, to seek his comments on the incident.
Molla allegedly threatened the journalist over the phone, saying: “You will write, and we will beat you.”
The NCP said attacking journalists while they were carrying out their professional duties and subsequently threatening the media demonstrated a disregard for press freedom.
“In the new Bangladesh following the July mass uprising, the return of cadre-based politics, abuse of power and fascism by any political party will not be tolerated,” the statement said.
“Beating journalists bloody over published reports and subsequently threatening to beat the media into line is not merely an attack on press freedom; it is a grave assault on the country’s overall freedom of expression and democratic rights.”
The party said attempts to treat the media as an adversary and suppress independent journalism through force reflected what it described as the persistence of an authoritarian political culture.
It also warned that impunity for attacks on journalists could encourage further violence and undermine democratic institutions.
The NCP demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of those involved in the assault, including Arifuzzaman Molla over his alleged threat.
It also called on the authorities to take effective legal and administrative measures to ensure journalists across Bangladesh can carry out their work and report freely without fear of violence or intimidation.
The party said it would stand with journalists and the public in efforts to defend press freedom and freedom of expression, and called for both organisational and legal action against those responsible.
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