Four Journalist Bodies Demand Probe into Harassment of Reporter in Dhaka Court Premises
Four journalist organizations have condemned and protested the abuse and harassment of Rabiul Hossain Raju, a multimedia reporter of the daily Samakal, by actress Pori Moni in the Dhaka court premises, and the beating of journalists by her personal security guards. The Multimedia Reporters Association (MRA), the Multimedia Reporters Unity (MRU), Youth Journal and the Digital Reporters Forum (DRF) issued the protests in separate statements on Thursday (5 November).
The MRA statement said Raju, a Samakal multimedia reporter and a member of the association, was publicly harassed in the court premises, abused in obscene language and threatened. According to the statement, video of the incident clearly shows Pori Moni abusing Raju in obscene language and threatening him.
The statement added that several journalists were attacked through Pori Moni’s bodyguards and that several journalists were injured in the incident.
In the statement, MRA president Fakhrul Islam said it was highly condemnable for a journalist to be publicly harassed, abused and threatened in this way while carrying out professional duties. He said it was not only an attack on the personal dignity of one journalist, but also a serious threat to independent journalism and the professional safety of the media.
Fakhrul Islam said that if there is any complaint against a journalist, it should be resolved through the proper legal process. But publicly abusing someone in obscene language, intimidating them, or attacking journalists through bodyguards is in no way acceptable, he said.
The Digital Reporters Forum (DRF), in its protest, said that for an actress, obstructing journalists from carrying out their professional duties at an important and sensitive place like a court, behaving discourteously with them, or harassing them through security staff is in no way acceptable. The organization also described the injury of ordinary litigants in the same incident as deeply worrying.
The DRF said such behaviour towards journalists is not only an attack on their professional dignity, but also a threat to the environment in which independent journalism and the media carry out their responsibilities. It also said the role of the law enforcement personnel present in the court premises at the time needs a neutral investigation.
Against this backdrop, the DRF demanded an immediate fair and neutral investigation into the allegations against Pori Moni and her security staff, identification of those responsible and legal action against them. It also sought effective steps by the authorities concerned to ensure the safety of the injured journalists and litigants.
The Multimedia Reporters Unity (MRU) strongly condemned and protested the incident and demanded a fair and neutral investigation. It strongly demanded proper treatment and safety for the injured journalists, and that those involved in the attack and threats be brought under the law and held accountable.
Journalist organization Youth Journal also issued a statement of strong condemnation and protest. It said the truth of Pori Moni’s allegation against the journalist must be verified neutrally; declaring the journalist guilty before the allegation is proven, or behaving insultingly towards him in public, is not justified.
Youth Journal expressed concern that the silence of the journalists present at the scene, and the absence so far of any visible protest from journalist organizations, was disappointing. It said that when a colleague is harassed, it is the duty of the journalist community to stand beside him and speak up for justice. Youth Journal demanded a neutral investigation of the incident by the authorities concerned and that those responsible be held accountable.
