JournalismPakistan.com | Published December 01, 2016
Join our WhatsApp channel
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF) Thursday welcomed a court verdict on November 30 convicting and sentencing nine persons to life in prison for the 2004 murder of journalist Manik Saha (pictured).
The Khulna Divisional Fast Track Tribunal Judge M A Rob Hawladar delivered the verdict in the case which had been under trial since June 2008. The court also fined convicts Akram Hosain Hawladar, Ali Akbar Shikdar alias Shaon, Nuruzzaman, Mithun, Suman, Sattar alias Disco Sattar, Bellal alias Bulbul, Saka alias Sakawat Hossain, and Sarwar Hossain alias Saro Tk 10,000 each.
Among the convicts, four are at large whereas five were sent to jail. Among 14 accused, two were acquitted and three - Abur Rashid, Altaf and Mahfuz - were killed in crossfire incidents.
Saha, a journalist with New Age daily and BBC, was killed on January 15, 2004 while returning home from covering a meeting of the opposition Awami League. Saha was decapitated and killed instantly when unidentified assailants threw a hand-made bomb at him after stopping his rickshaw.
Born in 1956, Manik Saha began his career as the Khulna district correspondent of the Bangla daily Sangbad in 1982 and served as the president of Khulna Press Club and had also worked for Ekushey TV.
The IFJ said: “We welcome the conviction and sentencing of nine murderers of journalist Manik Saha and express satisfaction that justice has been delivered despite taking a long time. The conviction has sent a positive message and the IFJ demands that Bangladesh speed up investigation and prosecution in murders of others journalists and bloggers to end the prevailing impunity.”
According to the IFJ Killed List, 47 journalists and seven bloggers have been murdered since 1995 in Bangladesh, yet there have been only a few convictions making it a country with concerning level of impunity in crimes against journalists. - IFJ media release
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.