The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Editors, other senior journalists and journalist union leaders have demanded that the government ensure press freedom by withdrawing the state of emergency without delay.

The demand came from a joint meeting held at the National Press Club yesterday, preceded by Monday's-both chaired by senior journalist Ataus Samad.

A statement signed by Ataus Samad says: "After the imposition of the state of emergency on January 11 last year, the media have been working with limited right and under pressure of the emergency powers rules that erode fundamental rights."

"It has been noticed that different agencies-military and civilian-have been intervening in the work of the media," the statement says.

"Media do not have freedom in a state of emergency. Regular interference in day-to-day work of the media is not acceptable," the statement says. The meeting also decided to form a committee to overcome the setbacks.

Later Ataus Samad said: "The committee will be formed through discussion."

The meeting pulled in editors, chief news editors of newspapers and the electronic media, representatives of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, Dhaka Union of Journalists and the National Press Club. They reviewed the overall situation.

Prothom Alo editor Motiur Rahman, News Today editor Reazuddin Ahmed, Ittefaq editor Rahat Khan, Samokal editor Abed Khan, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha chief editor Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Inqilab editor AMM Bahauddin, The Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam, Bangladesh Observer editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Manavjamin editor Motiur Rahman Chowdhury, Sangram editor Abul Asad, Jugantor deputy editor Shahjahan Sarder, bdnews24.com's editor-in-chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi, Amader Shomoy editor Naimul Islam Khan, Bhorer Kagoj editor Shyamol Dutta, Channel i chief news editor Saiful Amin, leaders of two factions of BFUJ M Mozammel Haque, Monzurul Ahsan Bulbul and Ruhul Amin Gazi, Dainik Dinkal executive editor Maruf Kamal Khan, journalist leaders Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan and Omar Faruq and Dhaka Reporters Unity general secretary Ilyas Khan were present at either of the meetings.

In a separate joint statement Tuesday, four senior journalists protested "direct and indirect control" over the media.

In the statement they said: "Following in the footsteps of our predecessors in the last phase of our life, we vow to take part in the movement for removing all setbacks to independent journalism."

"We wish present fighters similar success for the freedom of the press as we succeeded in the past," they said.

The signatories to the statement are KG Mustafa, ABM Musa, Nirmal Sen and Kamal Lohani.