Sagar-Rooney murder 1 hour strike in newspapers and news organizations on February 27

Dhaka Times Report. Journalists across the country held a protest rally on the 22nd to protest the murder of journalist couple Sagar-Rooney. On that day, the journalists jointly announced the next program. According to this program, all the newspapers, news organizations, electronic media and online news organizations of the country will observe a one-hour symbolic strike and wear black badges on February 27 from 12 noon to 1 pm and on March 1 from 10 am to 4 pm, journalists will observe a symbolic mass hunger strike across the country including Dhaka.

A two-day program was announced demanding the arrest and trial of the killers of the journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Mehrun Rooney and justice for all the murders. Besides, all the press clubs of the district have been requested to hold a mass hunger strike at the same time. A mass hunger strike will be held centrally at the National Press Club premises.

It is to be noted that Sagar Sarwar, news editor of Machranga Television and his wife Mehrun Rooney, a senior reporter of ATN Bangla, were murdered in the early hours of February 11 at their residence in Paschim Rajabazar of the capital. National Press Club and Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), both parts of BFUJ and DUJ, jointly organized the mass gathering. BFUJ president Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury presided over the press conference held in front of the National Press Club. BFUJ President Ruhul Amin Gazi, Secretary General Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan and Acting Secretary General M Abdullah, DUJ President Omar Farooq and Abdus Shahid, General Secretary Shaban Mahmud and Baker Hossain, Dhaka Reporters Unity President Sakhawat Hossain Badsha, National Press Club President Kamal Uddin Sabuj and General Secretary Syed Abdal Ahmed. DRU General Secretary Sajjad Alam Khan presided over the rally. Senior journalists Shahjahan Mia, Altaf Mahmood, Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Karthik Chatterjee, Shah Alamgir, Saiful Alam, Zakaria Kajal, MA Aziz and others were present in the gathering. The road in front of the National Press Club was closed to traffic during the rally. Veteran journalist Nirmal Sen, who was sick, came in a wheel chair and expressed solidarity with the gathering. Another veteran journalist ABM Musa who is undergoing treatment in the hospital sent a message urging the journalist community to remain united.

Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said, not only Sagar-Runi, but all the murders of journalists in the past era should be tried. He told the law enforcement agencies to arrest the murderers and fulfill their duties without creating a smokescreen. He said that the members of the investigating agency are creating a smokescreen by talking to each other. If the murderer is someone from the media, he should also be arrested and brought to justice. Announcing the new program, he said that even if the killers are not arrested, the journalist society will be forced to give a bigger program. Besides, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury also demanded justice for the killing of all journalists in the past.

Ruhul Amin Gazi said, the murder of Runi-Sagar cannot be covered up with any cover-up. The secret must be revealed and the murderers must be arrested quickly. He said, journalist community is united today. This program is only a symbol. If the murderers are not arrested, the journalist community will be forced to go to strict agitation including siege in the future. Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan said that the investigative agency has started a trick to arrest the murderers. The killers must be arrested no matter how clever they are. He said, after hearing the statement of the law enforcement agencies, they are wasting time to save the murderers. Omar Farooq said, journalists have not set any time to catch the killer of Sagar-Runi murder, and can't wait until doomsday. If necessary, the FBI should be brought in to investigate this murder and take measures to catch the killers. Otherwise, the journalist community will be forced to give a tough program. Abdus Shahid said that the government comes and goes but no murder is prosecuted. He said, I don't want to see pranks in the name of investigation. Shaban Mahmud said, the journalist community is as saddened as it is angry after hearing the tears of Sagar-Runi's child Megh. Even after 11 days, the police could not arrest the killers. It is also incomprehensible why the government is taking responsibility for the failure. If the murderer is a member of media or media family, arrest him and bring him public. Kamal Uddin Sabuj said that journalistic society does not want to see untimely death. Seeing the journalist couple blocking the road and demanding the arrest of the killers proves how dire the law and order situation in the country is. He said that a country where the police cannot solve a murder mystery even in 11 days does not seem to have rule of law. Sakhawat Hossain Badsha said that the murderers must be arrested within 24 hours. After the rally, a protest procession took off from the National Press Club to Kadam Fountain and circled Topkhana Road.
Khabar Dainik Yugantar.