A cheque for Tk one crore has been handed over to the families of five journalists killed during the July Uprising, fulfilling a promise made by Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan. The cheque was presented at a ceremony on Wednesday afternoon at the conference room of East West Media Group.
Kader Gani Chowdhury, Deputy Managing Director of East West Media Group and Secretary General of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists was the chief guest. The event was chaired by Hasan Hafiz, Editor of Kaler Kantho and President of the Jatiya Press Club.
Among those in attendance were senior journalists including Acting Editor of Bangladesh Pratidin Abu Taher, Executive Director of East West Media Group Yasin Hossain Pavel, Executive Editor of Bangladesh Pratidin Manjurul Islam, Executive Editor of Kaler Kantho Haider Ali, Editor of Banglanews24.com Lutfor Rahman Himel, and Touhidul Islam Mintu, Executive Editor of Banglanews24.com.
In chief guest’s speech, Kader Gani Chowdhury said, "I remember all the martyrs with deep respect. During the July Uprising, the country was immersed in darkness. There was no democracy in the country. There was no such thing as freedom of the press. There was no way to call white as white and black as black. Everything in the country was run by the will of one person. The media could write as much as the government wanted. During the July Uprising, shots were fired whenever any demand or speech was made. At that time, we saw countless students lying on the black, tarred streets of Dhaka. Such a horrific picture can never be imagined in an independent and sovereign country. No head of government of one's own country can do such a thing, it is unthinkable in any civilized country."
He said, “Our Bashundhara Group chairman saluted and paid tribute to all the martyred families. He always stands silently by those who work for the country. Bashundhara Group will always be by your side.”
Kader Gani, mentioning that the martyrs of the July Uprising taught us a lot, said, “There will be no compromise in the newspapers. We will learn from them and play the role of watchdogs from now on. Journalists of Bangladesh will not play the role of pet dogs like in the past.”
Kaler Kantho Editor Hasan Hafiz said, "”Today's event is not a happy one. This is a time of hardship for the families of the martyrs, and for us as well. Bashundhara Group has previously provided support for the son of journalist couple Sagar-Runi. In addition, the wife of the chairman of Bashundhara Group herself has donated 5 crore taka to the July Foundation. Martyr's family will also receive support from there. However, a bigger issue than the donation is to provide jobs for these families to earn a living. Bashundhara Group has already provided a job for the brother of martyr Abu Sayeed in Rangpur at Bashundhara Group.”
Abu Taher, acting editor of Bangladesh Pratidin, said, “No death is in vain. Those of us who are alive, it is our duty to make the lives of martyred journalists meaningful. I hope we will not deviate from this duty.”
East West Media Group Executive Director Yasin Hossain Pavel said, “We pay our deepest respects to the martyrs. On behalf of Bashundhara Group, we will stand by all the martyrs and injured. We request all the martyrs' families to contact us for any need you may have.”
Executive Editor of Kaler Kantho Haider Ali said, “The Chairman of Bashundhara Group has donated a check of Tk 1 crore to the martyr's family. Bashundhara Group comes forward for all kinds of humanitarian work. Today's event is in continuation of this. I sincerely thank the Chairman of Bashundhara Group for this.”
Banglanews24.com editor Lutfar Rahman Himel said, “Those who have lost their children suffer the most. Among these martyred families, Priyo worked under me. He was a very brave young man and was steadfast in his duty. When I heard about his martyrdom, I was thinking that this news was false. We thank Bashundhara Group and Kaler Kantho for this great initiative.”
Martyr Tahir Zaman Priyo's mother, Samsiana Jahan, said, “When I first came to the Bashundhara Group event, on the one hand, my chest filled with joy when I saw my son's picture, and on the other hand, my chest burst with sorrow. He is no longer with me. Our children gave their lives to establish the truth. I am grateful to the chairman of Bashundhara Group. I am also grateful to you for the money you gave without asking. My son has a little daughter. I hope I can use this money well for my granddaughter.”
Hasan Mehdi's wife, Farhana Islam Popi, said, “We talked about it a while before my husband died. Hearing so much noise, I told him, 'You stay out of trouble.' Then he told me, 'It's my responsibility, I can't go.'”
The father of Shakil Hossain, the Gazipur Gacha correspondent of the Daily Bhorer Awaz, said, “I have no words to express my gratitude for the way Bashundhara Group has stood by the sorrows and pains of the martyred families. The chairman of Bashundhara Group is known as a philanthropist. I wish he can stand by the families of all the martyrs.”
At a function organized on the occasion of the 15th founding anniversary of Kaler Kantho on January 9, the families of the five martyred journalists were given a commemorative plaque and a check of two lakh taka each.
At that function, Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan promised to provide one crore taka to the five martyred families. At that time, he requested that the money be deposited in a fixed deposit in the name of each of them and the profit received from it should be used every month to support the families of the martyrs.
The five martyred journalists are Hasan Mehedi, a senior correspondent of online news portal Dhaka Times, who was shot dead while performing his professional duties in Jatrabari in the capital on July 18. Tahir Zaman Priyo, a former video journalist of The Report.com, was shot dead during clashes on Central Road in Dhanmondi on July 19. Shakil Hossain, a correspondent for Gacha Thana in Gazipur of the daily Bhorer Awaz, was shot dead while shooting videos and photographs in Azampur in Uttara. Abu Taher Turab, Sylhet bureau chief of the daily Naya Diganta, and Pradeep Bhowmik (55) of the daily Khabarpatra, were shot dead by police at Court Point, the heart of Sylhet city, on July 19.
(Translated by Tanvir Raihan)
