Diplomats stationed in Dhaka on Wednesday expressed solidarity with The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, highlighting the importance of freedom of the press and freedom of speech as an important pillar of democracy. Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke, Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Ajit Singh, French Ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet and Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro were, among others, present. Expressing solidarity with The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, the Italian ambassador said freedom of information is at the core of their values. The british high commissioner said they joined the program to demonstrate their support for media freedom as an important foundation pillar of democracy. US Embassy Spokesperson Poornima Rai said the United States is fully committed to freedom of expression and freedom of speech, and they stand behind The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.
