Staff Reporter :At least five people were injured during chase and counter chase between the pro-Awami League (AL) journalists and pro-BNP-Jamaat journalists along with professional leaders at the National Press Club on Monday. BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Prime Minister’s Information Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury were present during the incident in the Press Club. Eyewitnesses said that pro-AL factions of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) organized a rally to mark the January 5 as ‘Victory Day for Democracy’ inside the National Press Club (NPC). On the other hand, pro-BNP forum Bangladesh Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad (BSPP) organized a rally in the NPC Auditorium to mark the January 5 as the ‘Democracy Killing Day’. BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was the chief guest in the programme of BSPP. Just after the conclusion of Fakhrul’s speech, pro-BNP-Jamaat professional leaders and journalists raised anti-government slogans. The pro-government journalists present at the Club raised counter slogans. Later, some Prajonma League activists and Awami Jubo League activists entered the NPC premises and hurled abusive words against pro-BNP groups. Chase and counter chase was held between the two groups. Some time later the senior journalist leaders from the both sides brought the situation under control. Prime Minister’s Information Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury blamed the anti-government platform for creating anarchic situation inside the NPC. He called upon the National Press Club authorities to keep the Club premises free from political activities. A former president of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), he made the call while addressing a brief rally on the premises of the Press Club in the wake of troubles.Press Club is a place for the journalists to perform their professional duties. Dialogues and meetings over the demands of the mass people are held here. But a section of journalists loyal to a certain political party are using the Press Club for political programmes. By doing so, they are not only tarnishing the image of the Press Club but also the journalist community, he said. BFUJ President Showkat Mahmud also blamed the Projonma League and pro-government journalist leaders including Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury for creating unwanted situation in the NPC. Earlier in the morning, pro-government groups of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) and anti-government group of BFUJ and DUJ organized separate rallies to mark the January 5. BFUJ President Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul presided over the rally of pro-government group of the journalists and BFUJ President Showkat Mahmud presided over the rally of pro-BNP-Jamaat group.
