Journos protesting before ATN Bangla office

Sunday, September 16, 2012 Journalists of different organisations are holding a sit-in before ATN Bangla's office in the capital's Karwan Bazar on Sunday demanding the arrest of ATN Bangla Chairman Mahfuzur Rahman over the murder of journalist couple Sagar-Runi.
Around 50 journalist leaders started the programme before the ATN Bangla office at Wasa Bhaban around 11:15am.
The journalists have been demanding Mahfuzur's arrest for stating at a press briefing in London on May 30 that he had evidence related to Sagar-Runi murder. They are also demanding the trial of the killers.
On February 11, Sagar Sarowar, a news editor at Maasranga, and his wife Meherun Runi, a senior reporter for ATN Bangla, were murdered in their West Rajabazar residence in the capital.
Leaders of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, Dhaka Union of Journalists, Jatiya Press Club and Dhaka Reporters Unity joined today's programme.
Earlier on September 10, Mahfuzur filed a case with a Dhaka court seeking an order to bar 59 journalists from staging the prescheduled demonstration in front of the ATN Bangla office today.
He also filed an appeal filed seeking the injunction on journalist leaders from making defamatory comments against him over the murder.
After hearing the appeal, the High Court on September 11 imposed a four-month injunction on journalist leaders from making defamatory or prejudicial statements against Mahfuzur over the murder of Sagar-Runi.
The injunction was issued on Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Ruhul Amin Gazi, Abdul Jalil Bhuyian, Omar Faruque, Shaban Mahmud, Shakhawat Hossain Badsha, Abdus Shahid, Muhammad Baker Hossain and Jatiya Press Club and Dhaka Reporters Unity leaders.
Meanwhile, Mahfuzur withdrew the names of 49 journalists on from the case two days after filing of the case.
While addressing the programme before the ATN Bangla office today, Boishakhi TV Chief Executive Office and Editor-in-Chief Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul said the journalist leaders cannot be separated through filing cases. "Please, do not try to divide the journalists," he said.
"We will not return home until the case (filed by Mahfuzur) is withdrawn and the trial of Sagar-Runi killers," Bulbul said.