8 journalists injured while covering garment workers' protests

At least eight journalists were injured in attacks while covering garment workers' protests in Savar and Ashulia on Wednesday. Several journalists also had their mobile phones and professional cameras damaged by the attackers.

The incidents took place in the Hemayetpur and Nishchintapur areas from Wednesday morning until noon.

The injured journalists include News24 television's Savar correspondent Nazmul Huda and photographer Imdadul, Star News district correspondent Ahmed Sohan Siraji, and Ekattor TV correspondent Raiyan Bin Amin and photographer Ujjal Hossain. Three other media workers were also injured.

Nazmul Huda said he was reporting live from Padmar Mor in Tetuljhora union in the morning when garment workers set fire to a police vehicle. At that time, several protesters assaulted him and his photographer and damaged their camera.

Ahmed Sohan Siraji said they were covering the garment workers' protest in Hemayetpur when several people attacked and beat the journalists and photographer.

Meanwhile, at least three more journalists were assaulted and injured while performing their professional duties in Nishchintapur, Ashulia, during the same period.

Superintendent of Police of Industrial Police-1 Mominul Islam Bhuiyan said the situation had returned to normal after noon. However, several isolated incidents had taken place in different areas earlier in the morning.

Additional police personnel have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order, he added.

sks