In a meeting at Kushtia Reporters Unity office to protest the 'false cases filed to harass the journalists', they announced programmes including human chain on the Kushtia Public Library premises and submitting memorandum to the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police on Sunday.

Journalists of local and national dailies and electronic media addressed the meeting chaired by Amanur Aman, acting president of the unity.

In the case filed by ruling party lawmaker Shahidul Islam of Kushtia-2 (Mirpur-Bheramara) constituency on Tuesday, the lawmaker alleged that the journalists went to his Bheramara residence on May 2, demanded Tk 50,000 and threatened to publish news against him when he refused to pay the money.

Following a daily Manabzamin report on May 7 about the declining popularity of three lawmakers including Shahidul, the lawmaker threatened the journalists of dire consequences in the presence of Forest and Environment Minister Tariqul Islam when they went to cover the programme of the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore at Shilaidah the next day.

Azad Biswas, a local BNP leader close to the lawmaker, filed another case against the three journalists with Kushtia Sadar Police Station on Wednesday accusing the three journalists of extortion and looting.