Sampadak Parishad condemns journo Lutforzzaman's murder, demands swift justice
In a statement, the council said the murder was not merely the loss of a citizen’s life but also a grave attack on independent journalism, freedom of expression and the public’s right to know.
The Sampadak Parishad (Editors' Council) has strongly condemned today (18 October) the brutal murder of journalist Lutfozzaman Alif Fakir, expressing deep shock and demanding a fair, impartial and speedy investigation into the killing.
In a statement, the platform of editors of various newspapers said the murder was not merely the loss of a citizen's life but also a grave attack on independent journalism, freedom of expression and the public's right to know.
"Ensuring the safety of journalists is one of the key responsibilities of a democratic state," the statement said.
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The council called for the immediate arrest of all those directly or indirectly involved in the murder and demanded exemplary punishment for them.
It also urged the government and law enforcement agencies to take immediate and effective measures to ensure journalists' safety.
The victim, Lutforzzaman, was the Netrokona correspondent for private IPTV channel Ruposhi Bangla. He worked for an internet television channel and was shot dead by unidentified assailants at Uttarail Bazaar in Durgapur upazila of Netrokona on 15 October.
Two young men arrived on a motorcycle and fired several shots at him before fleeing the scene as locals rushed over after hearing the gunfire. The shooting took place at a shop along the Shyamganj-Birishiri road in Kalkamanda Municipality at around 8:15pm.
He had also been attacked previously. On 10 November last year, assailants armed with sharp weapons injured him in the Teribazar Ghat area of the Someshwari River.
