ED: Keeping our journalists safe

It is alarming to hear of the recent attacks on a number of journalists in Rangpur, which continues the trend of our journalists not feeling safe in this country.

It goes without saying that, for any democracy to be successful, it is vital for members of the press to have the freedom to do their jobs properly as it ensures that those in power are held accountable for their actions. 

Of course, it is important that there is a full investigation done immediately, and those responsible for this attack are identified, arrested, and put on trial, but such incidents are unfortunately not rare, and it is addressing the much larger issue of keeping our journalists safe from such attacks that the authorities concerned must look into.

Safety in itself is a basic right for any citizen of the nation, and it is extremely disappointing that we continuously fail to protect those who work in the media, and fail to create an environment conducive to them doing their jobs to the best of their abilities, without the fear of harassment or abuse.

Grassroots media workers, especially women journalists, have it worst of all, as this recent attack demonstrated once again. It just shows that, despite our many achievements as an economy, we have plenty of work to do if we are to truly become a nation we can be proud of. For the sustainable development of Bangladesh, ensuring the safety of all members of the press, and especially women and those working in the grassroots, is non-negotiable.