BNP leaders and activists in Kishoreganj’s Nikli upazila set fire to copies of the Bengali daily Prothom Alo in protest at a story that ‘dishonourably represented’ BNP central committee member and Kishoreganj BNP’s senior vice-president Sheikh Mojibur Rahman Iqbal on March 5.
The protesters brought out the rally on Saturday which started from Nikli Notun Bazar and ended at Nikli bus stand area parading important roads.
At the rally, the speakers called for a boycott of the Prothom Alo newspaper, stating that the daily acts as an agent of the fascists.
Kishoreganj District Bar Association's newly elected Senior Vice President (APP) and Freedom Fighter Advocate Manik Mia said that Prothom Alo deliberately published reports against Mojibur Rahman Iqbal.
He claimed that the newspaper published false and fabricated news on behalf of opposition forces to deprive Mojibur Rahman Iqbal of BNP’s nomination in the upcoming national elections.
Manik warned that if Prothom Alo does not withdraw its published news within the next three days, the people of Nikli will boycott the newspaper.
Nikli Upazila Jubo Dal Senior Joint Convener Azharul Islam Sohel, Nikli BNP members Kamrul Hasan and Shamim Al Mamun, Senior Joint General Secretary of Nikli Sadar Union Farid Mia, former President of Nikli Upazila Chhatra Dal Khairul Ahmed, Acting Convener of Nikli Chhatra Dal Hriday Hasan, Member Secretary of Nikli Chhatra Dal Roni Ahmed, and Nikli Tanti Dal Convener Swadhin Ahmed, among others, addressed the protest rally.
Earlier, the BNP also held a protest rally in Bajitpur, demanding the closure of Prothom Alo over allegations of publishing false news.
bd-pratidin/GR
