Online Desk  :   The families of five journalists martyred in the July uprising will receive a promised cheque of Tk 1 crore on Wednesday. The cheque handover ceremony will take place at 3:00 pm in the conference room of East West Media Group. Earlier on 9 January, during the 15th anniversary celebration of Kaler Kantho, the families of the five martyred journalists were honored with commemorative plaques and given a cheque of Tk 2 lakhs each. At the event, Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan pledged a total of Tk 1 crore aids for the families.

He also requested that the amount be placed in fixed deposits under each family’s name so that the monthly interest earnings could support their living expenses. The martyred journalists are Hasan Mehedi of the Dhaka Times, Shakil Hossain of the Bhorer Awaz, Abu Taher Muhammad Turab of the Naya Diganta, Tahir Zaman Priyo of the Report.live and Pradip Kumar Bhowmik of the Khaborpatra. During the anti-discrimination student movement, journalist Hasan Mehedi was shot and killed on 18 July in Jatrabari, Dhaka, while on professional duty.

On 19 July, during clashes on Central Road in Dhanmondi, former video journalist Tahir Zaman Priyo was martyred. Journalist Shakil was martyred while capturing video and photos in Azampur, Uttara. On the same day, journalist Abu Taher, Sylhet bureau chief of Dainik Naya Diganta, was shot dead by police at Court Point in Sylhet city. On 4 August, Pradip Kumar Bhowmik, Joint General Secretary of Raiganj Press Club and journalist of Dainik Khabarpatra, lost his life in Sirajganj.