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.

A total of 65 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2020 while doing their jobs, according to the International Federation of Journalists.