‘No one involved in journalist Manik Saha’s murder has been brought to justice’

No one involved in the murder of Ekushey Padak-winning journalist Manik Saha – who was killed in a planned bomb attack – has been brought to justice, speakers claimed at a commemorative meeting held at the Nasrul Hamid Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) on Friday.

Speaking at the meeting, Manjrul Ahsan Bulbul, former president of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), said, "We are saddened to think that we have not received justice for Manik Saha's murder."

"We have not received justice for the murder of any journalist. No government has been able to prosecute the murder of a journalist. So, our only hope is reminiscence," he added.

Referring to investigative journalism as full-fledged journalism, the journalist leader said, "Floating journalism can be done without going to the scene."

"We are currently doing vague journalism. Journalism is not for the uneducated or semi-educated. It is possible to become a good journalist by acquiring a lot of knowledge. Undoubtedly, Manik Saha was a responsible and talented journalist," he continued.

At the meeting, DRU President Morsalin Nomani said, "It has been 17 years since Manik Saha was murdered, but we have not seen a fair trial."

"Journalists have no friends. That is why the murders of journalists like Manik Saha and Sagar-Runi remain untried. We call a spade a spade, which is why we do not get justice," he said.

Demanding the re-investigation of Manik Saha's murder, the journalist said, "I demand that the real killers and those behind it be identified and brought to justice."

The meeting chaired by Ashish Kumar Dey was also attended, among others, by: Ruhin Hossain Prince, central leader of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB); Ashraf Ali, joint general secretary of the National Press Club; Nibir Biswas, joint secretary of Bapa; Raju Ahmed, former general secretary of DRU; Sheikh Mamunur Rashid, leader of the Federal Union of Journalists; journalist union leader Rahman Mostafiz; and journalist Zakaria Kajal.

On 15 January, 2004, miscreants killed Manik Saha with a bomb near Khulna Press Club. The verdict was given on 30 November, 2016 after the trial of this murder case. No accused was given exemplary punishment due to a lack of proper witnesses. Nine of the 11 accused were sentenced to life imprisonment and another one year of imprisonment for non-payment of a fine of Tk10,000 each.