Peter's statement an unwarranted interference in independent media: Journalist leaders

Journalist leaders on Tuesday criticized US Ambassador Peter Haas' recent remarks on US visa policy asserting that they put undue pressure on Bangladesh's independent media and represented an unwanted intrusion.

An event with the title "To Protest the US Pressure on Media in the Name of Visa Policy" was organized by a platform called "Justice for Journalists" at the Jatiya Press Club.

The Daily Observer editor and chairman of DBC Television, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, stated during the protest that the desire to impose or threaten to impose visa regulations on the media is disrespectful to the people of a sovereign country and its independent media.

The journalists leader who were present at the meet include former president of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) Quddus Afrad, former BFUJ president Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, former secretary general Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan, DUJ acting pesident Manik Lal Ghosh and Joint General Secretary Khairul Alam.

/MHK/