Journo bodies concerned over media restrictions at Secretariat

The Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) and the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) have expressed concern over the decision to revoke journalists' rights to enter the Secretariat with their prescribed accreditation cards for professional work.

DUJ President Sohel Haider Chowdhury and General Secretary Akhter Hossain, as well as ERF President Refayet Ullah Mirdha, and General Secretary Abul Kashem demanded the immediate reversal of the decision.

In a press statement on Friday, the home ministry announced an indefinite ban on journalists even with accreditation cards from entering the Secretariat, citing security concerns following a recent fire.

According to an office order issued , the home ministry has formed a special cell to process applications for temporary entry passes to the Secretariat.

The cell has been set up at the Crime and Control Centre of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

FM Touhidul Alam, senior assistant secretary of the Public Security Division, and Mrityunjoy Baroi, office assistant-computer typist, have been assigned to the cell until further notice.

In a statement, the DUJ leaders emphasised the need for an environment that supports independent journalism to help build a democratic, liberal, and non-exploitative state, in line with the spirit of the Liberation War.

They argued that the government's decision would obstruct journalists from performing their duties, which is undesirable.

ERF leaders Refayet Ullah Mirdha and Abul Kashem, in a separate statement, said, "While the current interim government claims to support media freedom, it has repeatedly cancelled the accreditation cards of professional journalists, culminating in the decision to revoke all journalists' accreditation indefinitely on Friday."

They warned that blocking journalists' access to the Secretariat, the heart of the administration, could threaten independent journalism and undermine job security for professional journalists.