Journalists observed a token hunger strike on Monday demanding the release of Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman. They observed the token hunger strike from 10 am to 2:30 pm on the National Press Club premises. Ruhul Amin Gazi, president of a faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), said that they will continue their protest programme until their demands are met.
He also announced that they will hold a demonstration programme on Tuesday at about 11 am at the same
venue. The journalist leaders also demanded withdrawal of the cases filed against Mahmuda Begum, chairman of Amar Desh Publications and mother of Mahmudur Rahman, and acting editor of Daily Songram Abul Asad.
BFUJ general secretary Shawkat Mahmud, DUJ president Abdus Shaheed, and general secretary Baker Hossain, among others, addressed in the programme.
Dr Khanadakar Mosharraf Hossain along with other BNP leaders expressed solidarity with the journalists on behalf of the main opposition party BNP.
Besides, Convener of Nagarik Odhikar Rakhya Committee (Committee for protecting citizens’ rights) poet Farhad Mazhar also expressed solidarity with the journalists.Police arrested Mahmudur Rahman from his Karwanbazar office on charge of sedition on April 11. Later, he was taken on a 13-day remand in three cases.
Later, police raided the press of the vernacular daily in the city’s Tejgaon area on Thursday night and sealed off it.
-With The Independent input
