Even mass media was not spared from violence centering quota movement

The mass media was not spared from the havoc that the third-party evil force wreaked throughout Bangladesh through violent and terrorist activities by infiltrating the quota reform movement. In no way, the innocent students, who were staging demonstrations demanding quota reform, were involved in these violent activities. Taking advantage of the quota movement, the vested quarter- BNP-Jamaat-Shibir- has carried out this rampage across the country.

The anarchy and destruction that took place on July 18, 2024 in the country's state-owned Bangladesh Television (BTV) Bhaban is indescribable. After 1975, the state broadcaster has not witnessed such violence. Every spot of the BTV is bearing the scratches of arson, vandalism, looting and brutality.

Using the quota movement as a shield, the miscreants and terrorists launched their atrocities in the state’s important KPI organization Bangladesh Television by vandalizing its three main gates.

The terrorists entered the BTV Bhaban and immediately set fire to the reception room of the Dhaka station and its other several rooms, including the design section and the transport wing. The rampant terrorists even didn’t heed to the supplication of BTV’s officers and staff. The significant parts of the state's important institution were burnt down in no time in the fire of miscreants’ grievances. Even the fire service vehicles were not allowed to enter the BTV Bhaban to extinguish the fire. Moreover, several vehicles of the fire service that came to extinguish the fire were vandalized. After that, the terrorist group vandalized up to the 6th floor of the BTV headquarters building, the Mujib Corner and BTV Museum located on the ground floor in a militant manner. They vandalized and looted several cameras preserved in the museum. BTV canteen and computer lab were vandalized and looted while 17 vehicles were set on fire and nine more were vandalized. The state-of-art outdoor broadcasting van of the state broadcaster was vandalized.

Was only the state-owned media the victim of this atrocity? The answer is no. The miscreants also carried out mayhem in the private media. They assaulted many journalists.

Sources of the private television channel Boishakhi TV confirmed that this broadcast media was also attacked during the violence. Closed circuit cameras were demolished. Panic was created by setting fire in front of the TV Bhaban. One vehicle of the Boishakhi TV was vandalized. Several reporters and camerapersons of this channel were injured while performing their professional duties.

Another privately-run TV channel DBC News confirmed that its 10 employees, including five reporters, four video journalists and one production assistant, were injured while gathering news of the violence. Miscreants vandalized five to six vehicles of this media.

According to another private TV channel Somoy TV, two reporters and six cameramen of this media received injuries while performing their duties in the capital Dhaka and outside the capital. Two vehicles of his television were vandalized. Even the New York correspondent of this TV channel was not spared from the hands of the supporters of the violence in the name of movement. Somoy TV's New York correspondent Hasanuzzaman Saki was physically assaulted in New York by supporters of the violent movement.

The private TV channel Independent said the miscreants vandalized four vehicles of the broadcast media while three journalists and one cameraman were injured during the anarchy.

Another private TV channel News 24 said three cameras of this media were damaged by the perpetrators and two cars were vandalized. Three reporters and two camerapersons in Dhaka and Savar and Rangpur correspondents along with their camerapersons were also injured in the violence.

According to the private channel Ekattor TV, three reporters in Dhaka and Narayanganj and Dinajpur correspondents were injured in the violence. Simultaneously, two cameramen and two video journalists and two video journalists were also injured. Besides, the miscreants vandalised one vehicle of the TV channel.

According to another private television channel RTV, its two vehicles were vandalized and five journalists were injured in the violence.

Private television channel NTV confirmed that one vehicle of this media was vandalized and another one was burnt down. Simultaneously, two reporters and two video journalists of this media were injured in the violence.

The government and private media were not spared from the violent attacks of the BNP-Jamaat-Shibir who infiltrated the quota movement. These media were subjected to indiscriminate attacks. It is simultaneously reprehensible and a heinous crime. It is the absolute wish of all to conduct thorough investigation against the perpetrators and bring them to book.