DU teachers' body condemns conspiratorial activity against state in name of publishing news
The Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA) has condemned the news published in a national daily on the Independence Day, terming it as a conspiratorial activity against the state.
In a statement issued on Friday (31 March) afternoon, the association while refraining from naming the newspaper demanded appropriate action be taken against all concerned including the newspaper for publishing such news.
"The report used a picture of a child with the quote of a day labourer satirising the independence of the country. Furthermore, according to an investigative report published in another media, the picture of a child was taken in exchange for money taking advantage of his poverty," reads the statement.
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"It is against the policy of a newspaper taking pictures of minors or recording their statements without the permission or presence of the guardian. Deliberately using misleading pictures and statements is akin to deceiving the reader. However, it appears that all these norms have been deliberately ignored in publishing the news in question," it added.
"Some circles including certain international media are promoting that the government is taking oppressive measures against the media for publishing the news of increase in commodity prices. However, the reality is that action has been taken against those concerned for using a child as a news material by providing incentives for dishonest purposes," it explained.
Urging all not to be confused by such news, the association said, "At a time when news of the turnaround of the economy of Bangladesh in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and Ukraine war is being circulated in the international media, the attempt to fail the state in the name of opposing the government in a national daily of the country cannot be accepted in any way."
On 29 March, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) men picked up Prothom Alo Reporter Shamsuzzaman from his residence in the Ambagan area, adjacent to Jahangirnagar University, around 4:30am.
A Dhaka court on Thursday sent him to jail in a case filed under Digital Security Act after rejecting his bail petition.
