Jatiya Press Club (JPC) organised a discussion meeting marking the ‘Martyred Intellectuals Day’ and ‘Victory Day’ in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Chaired by JPC President Farida Yasmin, Mofidul Haque, trustee of Liberation War Museum, was the keynote speaker of the event.

Julhas Alam, member of the managing committee of the JPC and convenor of the seminar, Meet the Press and International Liaison Sub-Committee, moderated the programme.

One-minute silence was observed in memory of the martyred intellectuals and freedom fighters at the programme.

Addressing the discussion, President Farida said the spirit of the Liberation War should be upheld at any cost. Today, the time has come to raise questions why communalism is increasing and political criminalisation is also happening, she said.

Sometimes journalists do not have the opportunity to remain neutral, they have to take sides in need of the state, sovereignty and for the sake of existence.

"Without freedom of the press, democracy weakens and all must speak out against political criminalisation if we want to honour the freedom fighters and martyred intellectuals," she said.

Recalling the sacrifice of the martyred journalists Shaheed Saber, Shahidullah Kaiser, Shaheed Sirajuddin Hossain, Keynote speaker Mofidul said the contribution of journalists to all democratic movements including the Liberation War is undeniable.

Speakers at the discussion opined that all have to move forward upholding the spirit of the Liberation War to build a democratic Bangladesh.

They said that the urgency of building the country in the light of the spirit of the Liberation War is necessary to stop the process of political criminalisation and prevent communalism.

Senior members of the JPC and former information advisor to the PM Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, also editor of the Daily Observer, former BFUJ President Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Dainik Jugantor Editor Saiful Alam and BFUJ president Omar Faruque also spoke on the occasion. JPC Joint Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan delivered the welcome speech.