The general members of the Ishwardi Press Club in Pabna, which was formed illegally four and a half years ago, have demanded immediate cancellation of the current executive committee, fair elections and formation of a new committee.
At the same time, a written complaint was lodged with Ishwardi Upazila Executive Officer Shihab Raihan around 2pm on Thursday, demanding creation of a normal environment in the press club and reinstatement of unconstitutionally expelled club members.
Current and former members of the Press Club and permanent members of the club were present at the occasion. Copies of the charge sheet have been handed over to various departments of the administration including Ishwardi Circle Additional Superintendent of Police Firoz Kabir and Ishwardi Police Station Newly Officer-in-Charge (OC) Se B Md Nasir Uddin.
According to the letter, the current executive committee was formed on February 5, 2016 at Ishwardi Press Club with the intervention of outsiders and forcibly detaining journalists in different places.
Due to their irregular activities, the representatives of various national dailies working in Ishwardi, their own correspondents and editors of local newspapers have been averse to the Press Club for four and a half years.
Due to this, the quality of the traditional press club is being severely undermined. There is no proper journalism environment in Ishwardi now as the unity of real journalists has been destroyed.
The press club is the place of authentic journalists. However, now the Press Club has become a virtually unacceptable institution due to the arbitrariness of the executive committee, their irregularities and free movement of people at the club who are not involved in journalism.
As a result, there is an impasse in the press club. According to the constitution, the term of the committee formed for two years has already expired and the present committee has already passed four years. As a result, the committee formed by force, undemocratically and unconstitutionally has no legitimacy at present.
That is why most of the members of Ishwardi Press Club have unanimously signed a written complaint not to have official cooperation with the activities of the current illegal committee of Ishwardi Press Club until a new committee is formed in the democratic process.
The signatories are Alauddin Ahmed (Daily Jugantar and Weekly Jandabi), Mostaq Ahmed Kiran (Bhorer Kagaz), Selim Sardar (Samakal, Weekly Ishwardi), Md. Jahangir Hossain (Daily Bangladesh Post), SM Fazlur Rahman (Karatoya), Hasanuzzaman. (Jaiyadin), Touhid Akhter Panna (Janakantha), MA Kader (Weekly Samswar), Sheikh Waheed Ali Sintu (Amader Somoy), Salauddin Ahmed (BNS), Md. Ohiduzzaman Tipu (Daily Aajkal Khabar), Shahidullah Khan (Naya Diganta) , Mohidul Islam (Desh Rupantor), Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmed (Daily Rajshahi News), Abdullah Al Omar Khan Sumar (Hello Ishwardi), Mahabubul Haque Dudu (Senior Journalist), Md. Mohidul Islam (Chandni Bazar), Abdul Mannan Tipu (Weekly Samako), Rezaul Karim Selim (Focus Bangla News), Tipu Sultan (Banglanews 24.com).
Acknowledging the receipt of the written complaint, Upazila Executive Officer Shihab Raihan said necessary steps would be taken to resolve the current situation at Ishwardi Press Club.
Former president of Ishwardi Press Club Mostaq Ahmed Kiran, senior journalist and members of the press club Mahabubul Haque Dudu, Selim Sardar, Kazi Rakib Uddin, Abdul Mannan Tipu, Waheed Ali Sintu, Jahangir Hossain, Mohidul Islam and Salahuddin Ahmed Prom were present when the complaint was officially filed on Thursday.
