journalist
Kushtia journo held under DSA for defamatory post against PM
A journalist was arrested in Kushtia on Tuesday under the stringent Digital Security Act (DSA) for allegedly sharing a "defamatory" social media post against the Prime Minister.
Farhad Asif Tipu, 50, son of late Amir Uddin of Batikamara village of Kumarkhali upazila, is the Kushtia correspondent for Daily Jay Jay Din.
Read:Rangpur: 1 arrested in Joypurhat under DSA, 42 for arson
Police said Farhad shared on Facebook a defamatory post with a distorted image of the Prime Minister from his own page on the social media platform. It was originally posted on Facebook by someone else.
The arrest comes on a complaint from Kumarkhali Upazila Juba League organising secretary Farhad Imran. Based on the complaint, an FIR was filed against Farhad under the Digital Security Act at the Kumarkhali police station.
Read: DSA: Order on Jhumon Das’s bail plea Thursday
Kamruzzaman Talukder, officer-in-charge of the Kumarkhali police station, said they had arrested the journo based on the complaint.
Jatiya Press Club pays tributes to 34 late members
The Jatiya Press Club (JPC) on Wednesday paid tributes to its 34 members who died over the last one year amid the pandemic.
At a memorial meeting, senior journalists and Press Club leaders also recalled the contributions of the 34 club members to the nation and journalism.
Read: Jatiya Press Club gears up to celebrate anniversary
As part of JPC’s two-week programmes to mark its 67th founding anniversary, the meeting remembering its members who died in between October 24, 2020 and October 5, 2021, was organised at an auditorium of the club.
JPC president Farida Yasmin, acting general secretary Mainul Alam, its former president Saiful Alam, ex-general secretary Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, senior journalists Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Abul Kalam Azad, Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan, Omar Faruk and some family members of the deceased spoke at the programme.
The 34 JPC members who died over the last one year include Hasan Shahriar, Zahiduzzaman Faruque, AU Fakhruddin, Fakir Abdur Razzaq, Abul Hasnat, Ershadul Haq, Hannan Khan, Khandaker Muniruzzaman, Humayun Sadeque Chowdhury, Khondaker Ataul Haque, Mizanur Rahman Khan, Hilali Wadud Chowdhury, Syed Lutful Haque, Ahmad Akhter, Shaheen Reza Noor, Syed Abul Maksud, Atiar Rahman Atik, AZM Anas, M Nurul Huda, Atiqullah Khan Masud, Kayum Khan Milon, Khondaker Shahdat Hossain, M Rafiqul Alam, Enamul Haque, Syed Shahjahan, Khandaker Fazlur Rahman Feeuri, Shahiduzzaman Khan, Muhiuddin Ahmad, M Ruhul Quddus, Lutfur Rahman Binu, Bazlul Karim, M Abdur Rahim, Golap Munir and Hamiduzzaman Robi.
Speaking at the programme, JPC president Farida Yasmin said it is very painful and tragic that 34 JPC members died in just one year. “They all were our near and dear ones. The death of so many members in a year is a rare and sad chapter in 67 years history of the club.”
She said the club as well as journalism suffered an irreparable loss with the deaths of so many journalists.
“All of them were established journalists and they made huge contributions to their profession and the country. They could have contributed more had they been alive. We recall all of their contributions and pay homage to them.”
Saiful Alam, the editor of the Daily Jugantor, said the JPC should always remember its late members who founded the basis of this organisation and the journalism profession in Bangladesh. “But we easily forget them and hardly remember them, except a few ones.”
He thanked the JPC managing committee for arranging such a programme as it did last year and hoped the future JPC committees will continue it.
“If we can follow the good works and ideals of those who died and move ahead following the examples set by them, and then arranging such programmes will be meaningful,” Saiful observed.
Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul also recalled the role of the 34 late JPC members in enriching the profession and the Club through their works.
“We pay our deep tributes to all the deceased members of the club and express our sympathy to their bereaved family members,” he said.
Speaking at the programme, family members of the deceased thanked the JPC authorities for arranging such a programme.
JPC also arranged a similar programme last year remembering its 18 members died that year.
FM gifts masks to journalists at media briefing
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday gifted masks to journalists who attended a media briefing noting that safety comes first during COVID-19 situation.
The Foreign Minister handed over the masks to President of Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) Pantho Rahaman and its General Secretary AKM Moinuddin.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, among others, were present.
Also read: FM's book 'The Foreign Policy of the Twenty-First Century: Development and Leadership' published
Earlier, the Foreign Minister briefed the media on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's official visit to the US to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Prime Minister will leave here on Friday to begin her two-week visit to New York and Washington DC with a stopover in Finland.
Court accepts charges against cartoonist Kishore, 6 others
A tribunal on Sunday accepted the charges against seven people, including cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA) Act on charges of spreading rumours and carrying out anti-government activities.
Judge of the Dhaka Cyber Tribunal Ash-Shams Jaglul Hussein accepted the chargesheet in the case.
Writer Mushtaq Ahmed’s name was dropped from the charge sheet as he died on February 25.
Read: DSA case: Charges pressed against cartoonist Kishore, 6 others
The three others accused who were exonerated from the charges are-- US-based journalist Shahed Alam, Germany-based blogger Asif Mohiuddin, and Philip Schuhmacher.
The tribunal also fixed September 30 for framing charges against them.
Besides, the tribunal also issued arrest warrant against Shamiul Islam Khan alias Zulkarnain Saer Khan, Netra News Editor Tasneem Khalil, Ashik Imran and Swapan Wahid.
On June 13, police submitted a supplementary charge sheet against seven people, including cartoonist Kishore.
Afsar Ahmed, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit (CTTC) sub-inspector and also the investigative officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court.
The chargesheeted accused are---Shamiul Islam Khan alias Zulkarnain Saer Khan, cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, Dildar Bhuiya, former managing director of BLE securities Minhaj Mannan Emon, Netra News Editor Tasneem Khalil, Ashik Imran and Swapan Wahid.
Read:Court asks PBI to investigate case over cartoonist Kishore’s torture in custody
In February, police submitted a charge sheet against three of the accused, dropping the names of eight others.
Later, a Dhaka court ordered the DMP CTTC unit to further investigate all the 11 accused in the case.
On May 6 last year, RAB filed the case against the 11 people with Ramna police station on charges of spreading rumours and carrying out anti-government activities, under the DSA.
PM mourns death of journalist Zahiduzzaman Faruk
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of veteran journalist and member of the Jatiya Press Club (JPC) managing committee Zahiduzzaman Faruk.
In a condolence message, the Prime Minister prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul, and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.
Also read: PM mourns death of AL leader Abdur Rahman
Zahiduzzaman, editor of Dainik Orthoniti ,died of cancer at his Dhaka residence at 2:30pm at the age of 72.
Senior journalist Zahiduzzaman Faruk no more
Veteran journalist Zahiduzzaman Faruk died of cancer in the city on Thursday. He was 72.
Zahiduzzaman, editor of Dainik Orthoniti and a member of the Jatiya Press Club (JPC) managing committee, breathed his last at his Dhaka residence around 2.30 pm.
He was also a member of Dhaka Reporters Unity and Economic Reporters Forum.
Read:Covid-19: Journalist Dalim ‘too young to die’
He is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death.
His namaz-e-janaza will be held at the Jatiya Press Club premises after Asar prayers.
Foreign Minister condoles Monjur's death
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has condoled the death of Monjur Ahmed Chowdhury.
Chowdhury, a friend of former Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, passed away at the age of 87 on Thursday in the US, where he had been staying with his sons for many years.
Read: FM mourns loss of lives in Turkey wildfires
"He was a big donor, who had been financially supporting Khurram College in Sylhet for years," said Dr Momen.
Chowdhury was the son-in-law of late Maulvi Abdul Matin Chowdhury, a journalist, a Muslim League leader, and an MLA from Assam (now in India) during the British Raj who had tried to convince Md Ali Jinnah to include Assam in Pakistan, he said.
Novera Deepita's 15th death anniversary tomorrow
The 15th death anniversary of meritorious journalist Novera Deepita will be observed on Tuesday.
Novera Deepita, who worked with The Daily Star, passed away on July 27 in 2006. She was a gold medalist student of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University.
To mark the day, Novera's family will offer prayers at the Azimpur graveyard on Tuesday and provide charity to orphans, madrasas and the needy.
Also read: Veteran journo Shahbuddin departs
Moreover, the Novera Deepita Memorial Trust will award 'Novera Deepita Memorial Scholarship' to the student achieving the highest marks in BA (Hons) examinations under the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism of Dhaka University when the university reopens.
Also read: Journo Muhiuddin Ahmed dies
Senior photojournalist Lutfur Rahman Binu passes away
Veteran photojournalist Lutfur Rahman Binu died of cardiac arrest in Dhaka on Monday. He was 66.
Family sources said Lutfur Rahman fell sick at his Khilgaon residence in the morning and breathed his last around 12 noon on the way to Dhanmondi Ibne Sina Hospital.
Read:Senior journalist Ruhul Quddus no more
The photojpurnalist, also a member of the Jatiya Press Club, is survived by his wife, a son, a daughter and a host of relatives and well-wishers.
Lutfur Rahman, who was a senior photojournalist of Daily Inqilab, also worked as a personal photographer of former Prime Minister and BNP chief Khaleda Zia.
Read:Simon Dring died in his ETV poloshirt, shares partner in emotional Fb post
He will be buried at their family graveyard after Asr prayers after a Namaz-e-janaza at a local mosque.
Jatiya Press Club president Farida Yasmin and general secretary Elias Khan expressed deep shock at his death.
Senior journalist Ruhul Quddus no more
Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, a veteran journalist and senior member of the Jatiya Press Club (JPC), died from Covid-19 Wednesday.
The 66-year-old passed away at Suhrawardy Hospital and left behind his wife and two sons.
Ruhul last worked as a senior sub-editor at Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and went to retirement four years ago.
He was also the founding secretary-general of the Bangladesh-South Africa Friendship Association and a producer and host of Bangladesh Television (BTV) programmes.
READ: Ex-IGP AYBI Siddiqui passes away
After graduating from Rajshahi University, he joined weekly Pabna Barta in 1980 as a journalist. Later, he worked for different media outlets including Dainik Bangla, and BSS.
Ruhul was laid to rest at his family graveyard in Pabna's Bera Thursday.
JPC President Farida Yasmin and General Secretary Elias Khan expressed deep shock at the death of the senior journalist.
READ: EX-MP Khurram Khan dies of Covid-19
The JPC leaders conveyed deep sympathy to his bereaved family and prayed for the salvation of the departed soul, said JPC Joint Secretary Mainul Alam in a message.