27 editors condemn Amar Desh closure

Editors of 27 national dailies, weeklies, news agencies and periodicals in a joint statement on Saturday demanded immediate withdrawal of the order cancelling the declaration of the daily Amar Desh and release of its acting editor Mahmudur Rahman.
‘Cancellation of the declaration of the daily Amar Desh and arrest of its acting editor Mahmudur Rahman is unexpected. We express our concern at the actions and condemn them,’ the statement read.
‘We think such steps of the government are a grave threat to the freedom of expression. The decision to close down a newspaper would send a negative message to international arena about tolerance towards others’ opinions, democratic values and culture in Bangladesh. At the same time it will be seen as an obstacle to practice of democracy and its nurture at home,’ the statement said.
‘Besides, the decision would make seven hundred permanent and part-time staff of the newspaper jobless and throw their families into terrible hardships. We call for immediate withdrawal of the order cancelling the declaration of the daily Amar Desh and release of its acting editor Mahmudur Rahman,’ it said.
The statement was signed by the Independent editor Mahbubul Alam, the News Today editor Reazuddin Ahmed, daily Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, The Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam, daily Samakal editor Golam Sarwar, the Bangladesh Observer editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former chief editor and managing director of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Faiz Ahmed, former editor of Amar Desh and weekly Ekhan Ataus Samad, founding editor of Jai Jai Din and editor of Mauchake Dhil Shafik Rehman, Natun Diganta editor Serajul Islam Choudhury, daily Inqilab editor AMM Bahauddin, daily Naya Diganta editor Alamgir Mohiuddin, daily Sangram editor Abul Asad, the Financial Express editor Moazzem Hossain, Manabzamin editor-in-chief Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, weekly Ekhan editor Shaukat Mahmud, New Age editor Nurul Kabir, Amader Shomoy editor Nayeemul Islam Khan, daily Dinkal acting editor Rezwan Siddiqui, daily Jugantar editor Salma Islam, the New Nation editor Mostafa Kamal Majumder, banglanews24.com chief editor Alamgir Hossain, daily Bhorer Kagaj editor Shyamal Dutta, bdnews24.com editor Toufique Imrose Khalidi, daily Bangladesh Pratidin editor Shahjahan Sardar, Dainik Sakaler Khabar editor Rashid-un-Nabi and sheershanews.com editor Ekramul Huq.

Courtesy of NewAge