Sharifa Begum Sheuli,Rangpur Correspondent:
When the members of the supervisory committee, the assistant commissioner and the executive magistrate, arrived at the Press Club Rangpur office under the direction of the Divisional Social Services Department, they found the gate of the Press Club Rangpur office locked. Later, when the expelled leaders and activists were called, they did not come to the office and started making excuses and wasting time. Even after waiting for an hour, no one from the Press Club office came. Later, after consulting the convener of the supervisory committee, they hung a letter on the gate and locked it and left.
He conducted the program at the main gate of the Press Club office of the Press Club Complex on Sunday (January 19) afternoon.
Anil Chandra Barman, Deputy Director of the Divisional Social Services Department, was present at the time and the activities were conducted under the leadership of Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate Md. Mahmudul Islam.
It is worth noting that the Department of Social Services has temporarily suspended the committee members of the Press Club Rangpur and appointed a caretaker as a result of financial and administrative irregularities in the organization’s management.
The four-member supervisory committee includes: Convener, Director, Divisional Social Services Office, Rangpur, Member – Additional Director, Divisional Social Services Office, Rangpur, Deputy Director, Divisional Social Services Office, Rangpur, Social Services Officer, City Social Services Office, Rangpur.
The matter was confirmed in a letter signed by Md. Saidur Rahman Khan, Director General of the Department of Social Services, on Wednesday (15.01.25).
The letter signed by the Director General of the Department of Social Services states that a few months ago, the Press Club Rangpur (Registration No. Rangpur/359/91) sent two separate committees to the Deputy Director Social Services office for approval. When the matter was sent to the Department of Social Services, a Deputy Director of the organization was given the responsibility of investigating.
The investigating officer expressed his opinion that financial and administrative irregularities have been observed in the management of the organization (Press Club Rangpur). In light of the investigation report submitted, the management of the organization (Press Club) was temporarily suspended under Section 9(1) of the Voluntary Social Welfare Organizations (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961. And under Section 9(2), a four-member supervisory committee was formed with the Rangpur Divisional Director of the Department of Social Services as the convener.
The other members of the committee are the Rangpur Divisional Additional Director of the Department of Social Services, the Deputy Director of the District Social Services Office and the City Social Services Officer. After receiving the order, after assuming office, they will organize the election by updating the member list and preparing a draft voter list as per the constitution. Later, they will hand over power to the elected committee.
In addition, the country will appoint a reputable audit firm to verify the income and expenditure accounts. If financial irregularities are proven against any member, legal action will be taken. If necessary, amendments to the existing constitution can be made in the interest of the organization and the registration authority can take the initiative to approve it.
A group of journalists and non-journalists have been keeping the Press Club of Rangpur under their wing for a long time. After the July Movement, journalists who were discriminated against started a movement to achieve their rights. When the movement started, several journalists were harassed by the non-journalists of the Press Club. These non-journalists even disrupted the information advisor’s opinion exchange meeting at the Rangpur Circuit House.
The protesters said that among the few journalists in the press club, 7 are teachers, 1 is an official of an autonomous organization, and 5 are not involved in the journalism profession.
They said, “We welcome the decision of social service. Hopefully, the Rangpur Press Club will become a meeting point for journalists.”
Meanwhile, when the news of the appointment of the administrator spread among journalists, the deprived journalists celebrated by distributing sweets in the Press Club and its surrounding areas.
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