Journalists in Rajshahi on Sunday urged the interim government to scrap the Cyber Security Act immediately to ensure people鈥檚 freedom of speech.
They also demanded justice for all the killed journalists including journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi and enacting a law protecting the rights of the journalists.
About fifty journalists under the banner of Rajshahi Union of Journalists formed a human chain at Saheb Bazar Zero Point area at 10:30am to press home their demands.
Addressing the human, Rajshahi Editors Guild general secretary Ahsan Habib Apu said that journalists have long been victims of torture and injustice by influential groups.
鈥榃e have seen those who are in power create laws of their own to harass and torture journalists. We strongly condemn this. We, as a journalist community, demand that no law is enacted to harass and torture journalist not only for today, but for generations to come. We want the repeal of the black law that has been made to torture journalists,鈥� he said.
Ahsan Habib Apu said that they took to the streets for years demanding justice for Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi but the then government did not take any effective step to investigate the case and ensure justice.
Rajshahi Press Club convener SM Sazu said that journalists held numerous programmes across the country for the repeal of the black Cyber Security Act.
鈥楾he then information ministers assured us several times that this black law will not be used to harass journalists, and will be repealed. But, none of them kept their word,鈥� he said.
The speakers urged the interim government to scrap all the black laws including the CSA formed to harass and torture journalists immediately and ensure justice for Sagar and Runi.
They also urged that the government to reopen all the media outlets that were forcibly closed by the previous governments.