Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) on Wednesday urged the law enforcement agencies and other authorities concerned to cooperate with the media people in discharging their professional duties during the strict lockdown set to be enforced from Thursday. In a statement, DRU president Mursalin Nomani and general secretary Mosiur Rahman Khan also urged the media workers to carry their press cards while performing their duties. They said the government is going to impose tough restrictions across the country from July 1 to prevent the upsurge of coronavirus infections. The DRU leaders said the government in its notification issued on Wednesday listed mass media as ‘emergency services’ during the restrictions. Also read: Violation of lockdown rules to invite legal action, warns DMP “However, in the context of past experience, it can be seen that media workers in different parts of the country, including Dhaka, have been subjected to various forms of harassment while performing their professional duties (during such restrictions,” the statement said. Under the circumstances, the DRU leaders called upon the law enforcement agencies and the authorities concerned to cooperate and play a responsible role so that the journalists and employees of newspapers, television and news portals are not subjected to any kind of harassment. They also requested the media workers help the members of the law enforcement agencies carry out their professional duties. Earlier in the day, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam told reporters that the journalists have been asked to cover their assignments after hanging their ID cards and they can move in the city to perform their duties during the seven-day tough lockdown. Also read: Govt outlines restriction rules ahead of ‘tough’ lockdown “Police won’t obstruct them. They can also use vehicles provided by their respective offices,” he added. The government is all set to enforce a weeklong countrywide strict lowdown from Thursday in a bid to control the growing Covid infections. All public movement, except emergency services, will be restricted during the lockdown by deploying the members and army and other law enforcement agencies.

BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed on Friday said their party chairperson Khaleda Zia will never be freed from jail without the good will of the government as the judiciary is now not ‘independent’.

Chief coordinator of the BNP-led 20-party alliance Nazrul Islam Khan on Sunday said they want to get Khaleda Zia freed by any means.