Journos should strengthen themselves to secure rights: Fakhrul

BNP secretary general Mirza Gainful Islam Alamgir addressing a biennial council session of BFUJ at the National Press Club auditorium on Friday 28 Nov 2025.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Firday said Journalists should work to solve their own problems by strengthening their organisation. This can't be done through tailenderism. They should unite at this pre-election time to help get back to democratic order.

Recalling journalists who sacrificed life in anti-autocracy and democratic movement he said that their role will remain vital for establishment and consolidation of democracy.

Mirza Fakhrul was addrrsing a biennial council session of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists at the Jatiya Press Club auditorium. Mia Golam Parwar, secretary general of Bangladesh Janaat-e-Islami, was the special guest at the function which was presided over by Obaidur Rahman Shaheen, acting president of BFUJ. Kader Gani Chowdhury, secretary general, BFUJ, Jatiya Press Club president Hasan Hafiz, other union leaders and delegates from diferent constituent unions spoke on the occasion.

Mirza Fakhrul said, we should have unity in the midst of diversity of opinion. Unfortunately difference of opinion is sometimes treated in a wrong way and dealt with like enmity. 

The BNP secretary general particularly made mention of the social media that often does negative propoganda which is not helpful for democracy. Mob violence, attacks on rallies have become a common phenomenon, he deplored.

Mirza Fakhrul said that BNP is a proven political paty. Its founder Ziaur Rahman restored multiparty democracy, press freedom and freedom of expression of the people, and uleashed the potential of their progress and prosperity. Khaleda Zia consolidated democracy after nine years of autocratic rule. 

The BNP secretary general advised journalists to strengthen their union to establish the rights of their member, instead of doing tailism and being dependent on others.

BNP wants to create a truely democratic Bangladesh which will be tolerent of opposition views, he added. 

Mian Golam Parwar, secretary general, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, as a trade union organisation BFUJ should stand by its members in their distress. At the same time it should help develop their skills and help improve the quality of the profession. The journalists should discharge their responsibility to the society at this critical juncture to step to an democraticn ordernafter 16/years of autocratic rule.

The Jamaat leader said that the dignity of the profession of journalism has been threatened as the media are being used to guard the interests of corporate houses,  protect the interess of certain person and journalists can't call black black and white white. 

We have differences among political parties as we have diferences programmes. Yet we should have unity on certain issues like unity against corruption. We should build youths through moral and skillful education, ensure social justice, protect demoratic rights. As political parties we should protect atmosphere of industrial production and not encourage toll collection in narrow party interests.