(RSF/IFEX) – RSF and the Bangladesh Centre for Development, Journalism and Communication (BCDJC) have written a joint protest letter to Home Affairs Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury following recent attacks by members of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and police officers on five journalists. “In spite of statements made by the authorities at the highest […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF and the Bangladesh Centre for Development, Journalism and Communication (BCDJC) have written a joint protest letter to Home Affairs Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury following recent attacks by members of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and police officers on five journalists.
“In spite of statements made by the authorities at the highest level, political violence – notably attacks on journalists – continues in Bangladesh. Once again, Bangladesh has confirmed its position as the most violent country for journalists,” stated RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard. “We demand that those party members responsible for these attacks be punished. The climate of impunity that reigns in Bangladesh is the main threat to press freedom,” Ménard and BCDJC President Nayeemul Islam Khan wrote in their joint letter
According to information gathered by RSF and BCDJC, Syed Mobin Bin Asad Zillu, a photographer who works for the daily “Prothom Alo” and the local newspaper “Dainik Chandnibazar” in Bogra (northern Bangladesh), narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt on 29 May 2002. The kidnapping attempt was orchestrated by Zahirul Islam Bedha, a businessman and vice-president of the local BNP section. The photographer was leaving the city’s central police station when two armed men tried to force him to get onto a motorcycle. Zillu managed to fight off his attackers and alert passers-by. They overpowered one of the armed men, who was discovered to be Bedha. He was taken to the police station, where he struck the “Prothom Alo” photographer and threatened to kill him. After handcuffing Bedha, police discovered that he was in possession of a revolver. The politician remains in police custody. Zillu plans to press charges.
On the same day, three crime reporters were victims of an attack by traffic police in Dhaka. A. Q. M. Shakawat Hossain of “Dainik Banglabazar Patrika”, Halim Mohammad of “Ajker Kagoj” and Mumtaz Uddin of “Dainik Matribhumi” were assaulted by the policemen when they arrived at the scene of a crime. The journalists had actually caught the policemen in the act of receiving a bribe from a driver. The three injured reporters were admitted to a clinic in the city, while representatives of the Crime Reporters’ Association demonstrated in front of Khilgaon police station. The accused police officers’ superiors announced that they would face rapid disciplinary action.
Finally, on 28 May, five unknown assailants armed with sticks and knives carried out a brutal attack on Nazmul Imam, a correspondent from “Dainik Manabzamin” in Kushtia (south-western Bangladesh). Imam was being driven through town in a rickshaw when the men stopped the vehicle and grabbed the reporter’s mobile telephone. One of them shouted, “Get the journalist!” The unknown assailants beat and stabbed the reporter, cutting off his right thumb. The doctor who examined Imam later said he had received eleven stab wounds. Local journalists have described the attack as “attempted murder.” Police have arrested three suspects, but have neither been able to confirm whether they were involved in the vicious attack nor whether it was linked to articles written by Imam. Journalists in Kushtia have called for the arrest of those responsible.
