BFUJ, DUJ condems efforts to defame reputed journalists

Some well-known and reputed senior journalists who have been in this sector for decades have been ridiculed for abruptly delivering untrue and fabricated news.

The episode occurred on Friday, when anonymous groups spread defamatory, fictitious, untrue, fabricated, baseless and propaganda news from an unnamed obsolete webpage.

Fabricated websites like CNN Bangla, StarBD News24.com, Bhorer Pata and Sylhet Times, published articles defaming National and internationally acclaimed journalist, chairman of the Department of Folklore Studies of Islamic University and acting editor of Daily Bangladesh, Dr Mostafizur Rahman (Mithun Mostafiz), Political Editor of Daily Ittefaq, Farazi Ajmal Hossain and Special Representative of BD-Journal Shamim Siddiqui.

According to the websites, the three journalists were tied up to the recently fired Narsingdi Jubo Mahila League leader Shamima Noor Papia in fictitious and fabricated news without any information or evidence.  When the news spread through social media the trio filed separate GDs at their respective police stations.

Bangladesh Federal Journalists' Union (BFUJ) and Dhaka Journalist Union (DUJ) jointly condemned the defamatory activities on Monday.

In a statement, BFUJ president Molla Jalal, secretary-general Shaban Mahmud, DUJ president Abu Jafar Surya, and general secretary Sohail Haider Chowdhury expressed their deep concern over such attempts to tarnish images of established and reputed journalists.