Journalists seek justice for Sagar-Runi

Announce plans for one-hour work abstention, token fast unless journalist couple's killers are arrested

Dhaka, Feb 22 (bdnews24.com) — Demanding justice for Sagar and Runi, fellow journalists have announced that they would stop working for an hour on Feb 27 and fast on Mar 1 to press home their demand for quick action in the murder case.

Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, president of one faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), announced the plans on Wednesday at a rally in front of National Press Club.

He said, "Journalists and media personnel across the country working in newspapers, television channels, news agencies and online media will not work from noon to 1pm on Feb 27.

"A token hunger strike will also be staged from 10am to 4pm on Mar 1 at National Press Club in the capital. Similar programmes will also be held at press clubs across the country."

Iqbal also warned that they would launch tougher movements if the killers of Sagar and Runi are not arrested by then.

As part of their protests, journalists formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club here on Wednesday. Veteran journalist Nirmal Sen also attended the rally, which began at 11am.

Another veteran journalist, A B M Musa, expressed solidarity with the programme over phone, as he is undergoing treatment at LabAid Hospital in Dhaka.

Maasranga Television news editor Golam Mostofa Sarowar, alias Sagar Sarowar, and his wife, ATN Bangla senior reporter Meherun Nahar Runi, were found murdered at their flat in the city's west Rajabazar on Feb 11.

11 DAYS ON, NO CLUE

Inspector general of police (IGP) Hassan Mahmood Khandker had earlier claimed that the police had made "remarkable progress" in solving the twin murder case within a 48-hour deadline set on Feb 11 by home minister Shahara Khatun.

Shahara later said that the 48-hour deadline was a "tactic" to get the law enforcers to speed up work. But the police are yet to uncover any clues and identify or arrest any suspect even 11 days since the couple's brutal murder.

Fixing Feb 22 as the deadline, the journalists' organisations had also warned that tougher protest programmes would be held unless the killers are arrested.

Following the warning, several journalists' organisations are staging protest programmes in the capital, as well as in other parts of the country.

Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), National Press Club, and Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) had jointly declared the protest programme from a joint meeting on Feb 18.

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