You are here

More from Tuesday's Daily Star

Submitted by rickeyre on April 18, 2006 - 11:46pm

Those policemen failed to demonstrate any understanding of the journalists' job. The latter have to keep pace with events and, as such, cannot afford to lose time. The job is demanding and it is always expected that those in charge of security will cooperate with the newsmen. But what we observed in Chittagong was the complete abandoning of the age-old practice of controlling a situation with courtesy and tactful persuasion; mind you, journalists were not armed, the police were, calling for sobriety on the part of the latter.
- from the Editorial, The Daily Star, 18.4.06

Plenty of coverage in Bangladesh's leading English-language newspaper today of the aftermath to Sunday's extraordinary clash between police and journalists at the Chittagong Divisional Stadium on the first day of the Second Test against Australia.

In Dhaka there were sit-down protests by members of the various press associations, with a four-hour stoppage planned for Wednesday unless policemen involved in Sunday's altercation are arrested and dismissed. Journalists all round the country took part in protest demonstrations on Monday - here is a roundup.

Meanwhile, the local media's boycott of the Test match continued yesterday, although there was little play to report because of the weather. Late Monday night the journalists decided to continue their boycott into the third day's play on Tuesday. Bangladesh Cricket Board officials and the venue co-ordinator met with the journalists yesterday and agreed to compensate for medical expenses and destroyed cameras.

The BCB delegation did not include Board president Ali Asghar. Rather than be in attendance at a home Test match against the world's number-one side, Asghar is in Abu Dhabi to watch the India v Pakistan series! Priorities, eh?