Bangladesh National Press Club has suspended the membership of 37 journalists, including several senior figures in the profession. The announcement was made on Sunday, November 17, through a notice signed by the club’s President, Hasan Hafiz, and General Secretary, Ayub Bhuiyan.
According to the notice, the memberships were suspended for allegedly inciting violence during the July revolution led by students and citizens and for collaborating with the ousted government. The decision was reportedly made during a management committee meeting held on October 27.
Journalists Affected
The list includes prominent names in Bangladeshi journalism, such as Nurul Amin Probash, Zayedul Ahsan Pinto, Mozammel Babu, Ashish Saikat, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, and Farzana Rupa. Others suspended include:
- Ashok Chowdhury
- Azmal Haque Helal
- Abul Khayer
- Mohammad Manjurul Islam
- Pronab Saha
- Naem Nizam
- Khairul Alam
- Abed Khan
- Subhash Chandra Badal
Additionally, journalists like Zaherul Islam Mamun, Zafar Wazed, Saiful Islam Kollol, Pavel Rahman, Azizul Islam Bhuiyan, and Shaban Mahmud are on the list. The notice also mentions figures like Muhammad Shafiqur Rahman, Abul Kalam Azad, Shyamal Sarker, Ajay Das Gupta, Alamgir Hossain, Ramasprasad Sarkar Babu, Sanjay Saha Piyal, Farazi Azmal Hossain, Anisul Rahman, Naemul Islam Khan, Md. Ashraf Ali, Ikhtiyar Uddin, and Abu Zafar Surjo.
Potential Impact
This decision is expected to stir significant debate within Bangladesh’s media landscape. Allegations of incitement and collaboration with the previous government could lead to broader questions about press freedom and the role of media in politically charged environments.
The suspended journalists have yet to respond publicly, but their reactions will likely shape the future discourse around press club governance and journalistic independence in Bangladesh.