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Published : 23 Jan 2025, 08:20 PM
Journalists from the shuttered daily newspaper Bhorer Kagoj have staged a sit-in programme at the Karnaphuli Group headquarters in Kakrail, demanding the reopening of the publication and payment of outstanding salaries.
On Thursday afternoon, leaders of several journalist organisations joined the protest, issuing a stern ultimatum to Saber Hossain Chowdhury, a former minister and owner of Bhorer Kagoj.
They pushed for the immediate reopening of the publication, warning that Saber Hossain would have to shutter his other businesses if he did not comply with their demands.
Owned by the Karnaphuli Group, the 33-year-old daily from the 1990s abruptly announced its closure last Monday.
A notice regarding the closure was posted at the main gate of the organisation’s office in Dhaka’s Malibagh.
"The authorities of Bhorer Kagoj have decided to close the newspaper's main office from 20-01-2025 under Section 12 of the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006, due to reasons beyond the owner's control."
On Tuesday, at a press conference held at the National Press Club, Khondaker Kawsar Hossain, chief reporter of Bhorer Kagoj, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the newspaper's owners.
He warned that if the demands of the journalists were not met within that timeframe, they would initiate a protest by surrounding the owners' office.
Following this announcement, the newspaper's staff assembled in front of HR Bhaban on Thursday, demanding that the “conspirators” behind the closure be brought under the law, while also pushing for “just compensation”.
Dhaka Union of Journalists, or DUJ, President Shahidul Islam said: "I want to tell the Bhorer Kagoj authorities that you have contributed to a lot of wrongdoings. We do not want to drag out the wrongdoings you have been doing for the past 15 years. You tried to turn the July Uprising revolutionaries into terrorists. We wanted to forget those words.”
"We wanted you to become an ideal media outlet by expressing solidarity with the new revolutionary government. But you closed the office without paying the journalists their dues."
He added, "We want the removal of fascist allies from every media outlet. Instead of doing that, Saber Hossain shut down the newspaper without paying the dues of about 1,000 journalists."
Addressing Saber, the DUJ president said: "You should go to Ganabhaban. People have taken away every brick there because of Sheikh Hasina's injustice. Not only HR Bhaban, the people of this country will take away the bricks of every business establishment of yours.”
"You should discuss with the journalists of Bhorer Kagoj and reopen the newspaper. Pay them what they’re owed. Otherwise, we will launch a strict programme in the coming days."
Remarking that a news daily cannot be shuttered abruptly, Dhaka Reporters Unity, or DRU, President Abu Saleh Akon said: “You are aware that a fascist government has oppressed the media in this country for a long time. We have just come out of that oppression. Now we have the opportunity to have freedom of work, writing and speech. At a time like this, a fascist Saber Hossain has shut down his newspaper like this. It is very shameful."
He said, "We want to tell Saber Hossain Chowdhury - you have become the owner of many assets in various ways by using this newspaper for a long time. Pay the dues to all newspaper employees following the law. If you do not pay the dues, you will not be allowed to run any business here."
