The Comilla University Journalist Association (CoUJA) has issued a strong statement of condemnation and protest following an attack on journalists performing their professional duties at Rajshahi University (RU).
The media organisation has demanded a neutral investigation into the incident and exemplary legal action against those responsible.
The joint statement was issued on Monday by CoUJA President Abu Shama and General Secretary Chowdhury Masabih, signed by Office Secretary Anisur Rahman.
Leaders and activists of Rajshahi University (RU) unit of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) reportedly launched an attack using local weapons– including cleavers, machetes, hockey sticks, pipes, and baseball bats – on journalists and students in front of Shahid Ziaur Rahman Hall on Sunday night.
Four injured journalists have been identified as Jahidul Islam, representative of Agamir Somoy; Nur Ahsan Mirdul, representative of The Daily Star; Arifuazzaman Korban, university representative of bdnews24.com; and Mainul Islam Raju, representative of Dainik Samakal.
Several other journalists were also reported injured.
Denouncing the violence, CoUJA leaders stressed that attacking, assaulting, threatening, or obstructing journalists while on duty is completely unacceptable.
They warned that such actions pose a grave threat to independent journalism and the physical safety of media personnel on university campuses.
The organisation emphasised that this assault should not be treated as an isolated or routine event, noting that journalists gather news to guarantee the public’s right to know rather than for personal benefit. Consequently, any attack on working journalists constitutes a direct strike against the public’s right to information.
In its statement, CoUJA called for an immediate neutral inquiry to identify all individuals involved in the assault and to hold them accountable under the law with exemplary punishment.
