A human chain was organized to demand the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of those responsible for the murder of journalist and former army member, Lutfuzzaman Alif Fakir. The event, initiated by the Netrokona district branch of the Bangladesh Press Club, took place on the road in front of the district press club on October 31.

The hour-long human chain—held from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM—was presided over by the organization’s president, Mahmudul Hasan Shamim Talukdar, and moderated by general secretary Md. Monirul Islam. Key speakers included the organization’s chief advisor, Professor Nani Gopal Sarkar; advisor and journalist Monayem Khan; ‘Haor-friend‘ (advocate for the wetland region) Iqbal Hossain; journalist and assistant professor Bijoy Das; vice-president Shahidul Islam Shafiq; journalist Abul Kashem Abadi; and Suman Ahmed, president of the Barhatta Upazila branch of the Bangladesh Press Club. Numerous journalists from various print and electronic media outlets across the district were also in attendance.

It should be noted that on the night of Thursday, October 15, while staying at his father-in-law’s house in Telunjia village, Durgapur Upazila, Alif Fakir visited a shop located in front of the residence. At that moment, two unidentified individuals—who had been lying in wait—fired multiple shots at him. He died on the spot. He was subsequently taken to the Durgapur Upazila Health Complex, where the attending physician declared him dead. During the human chain, the speakers demanded the swift arrest of those involved in the murder and insisted that the perpetrators be brought to justice.