Hanif Dakua, a member of the Jashore Journalist Union’s executive committee, a member of Jashore Press Club, founding president of the Bangladesh Photo Journalist Association’s Khulna and Jashore district chapters, and senior photojournalist for the daily Loksomaj, has been accused of being subjected to abusive language and death threats over the phone.
Journalist leaders in Jashore have expressed strong condemnation and deep concern over the incident. They have also demanded that the person who made the threat be identified and brought to justice immediately, with exemplary punishment.
Hanif Dakua alleges that, stemming from a land dispute, Haji Ruhul Amin, 68 — son of the late Tafsir Uddin Biswas, of Nazir Shankarpur, currently residing at Shahnaz Hotel on Rail Road, Kotwali police station, Jashore — abused him in obscene language over the phone and threatened to kill him. He says he has an audio recording of that threatening conversation in his possession.
Over the incident, Hanif Dakua filed a general diary (GD) at Jashore Kotwali police station on August 18. The GD number is 1616. He said he and his family members have felt unsafe since the threat.
In a statement, Jashore Journalist Union president Akramuzzaman and general secretary S M Farhad said openly threatening a journalist’s life over the phone is extremely alarming and condemnable. Such acts, they said, not only intimidate an individual journalist but also put pressure on free and responsible journalism as a whole. They called on law enforcement to swiftly investigate the incident, identify the person involved in the threat, and bring them to justice.
In a separate statement, Bangladesh Photo Journalist Association Jashore district chapter president Gopinath Das and general secretary M R Khan Milon strongly condemned and protested the incident. They said openly threatening a journalist over the phone in this manner can in no way be the act of a civilized society. Ensuring a safe environment for journalists to carry out their professional duties, they said, is essential. They demanded immediate legal action against the person involved in the incident.
Hanif Dakua said he has worked in journalism with dedication and a good reputation for a long time. He is a member of Jashore Press Club, a member of the Jashore Journalist Union’s executive committee, and founding president of the Bangladesh Photo Journalist Association’s Khulna and Jashore district chapters. He is also the proprietor of “Dakua Real Estate Sale Limited.”
Members of the journalist community say that when a journalist is intimidated or threatened with death over a personal dispute, it damages the environment for free journalism. They say the matter should therefore be investigated seriously and legal action taken swiftly.
Alongside ensuring the safety of Hanif Dakua and his family, they have demanded that the person who made the threat be swiftly brought to justice and given exemplary punishment.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report