The Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) and the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) jointly honoured Dr Imran Ansary, an exiled and persecuted journalist and international security expert, for his significant role in the anti-fascist movement and the July uprising.
The reception took place on Thursday at the National Press Club auditorium, during a discussion event titled “The Role of Journalists in the Students–People July Uprising.” Dr Ansary was presented with a crest of honour and floral wreath by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Leaders of various professional bodies, including Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Ghulam Parwar, were also present.
The event was presided over by DUJ President Shahidul Islam. Speakers at the event highlighted Dr Ansary’s exceptional contribution to the July uprising and to the broader democratic struggle in Bangladesh.
In his remarks, Dr Imran Ansary said the success of the July uprising was made possible because political parties such as BNP and Jamaat have managed to survive despite adversity. He warned that Bangladesh currently faces serious national security threats, citing what he described as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s fascist approach, the ongoing Rohingya crisis, unrest in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, and escalating cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
He called upon BNP and Jamaat to work in unity to address these growing threats to national security.
Dr Imran Ansary, formerly a senior correspondent at Diganta TV—which was shut down during the Awami League regime—faced government persecution in 2014 and sought asylum in the United States. He returned to Bangladesh on 21 July, after nearly twelve years in exile.
While in the US, he remained an active journalist and activist, playing a vital role in the movement to restore democracy. He was also one of the organisers of the July uprising protest rally held in New York’s Times Square.
