In a 28 December 1999 letter to Bangladeshi Home Affairs Minister Mohammad Nasim, RSF strongly protested against further assaults on journalists. RSF said it was deeply worried that the government was “unable or unwilling to put a stop to this outbreak of violence, which is extremely prejudicial to press freedom.” RSF reminded the minister that […]
In a 28 December 1999 letter to Bangladeshi Home Affairs Minister Mohammad Nasim, RSF strongly protested against further assaults on journalists. RSF said it was deeply worried that the government was “unable or unwilling to put a stop to this outbreak of violence, which is extremely prejudicial to press freedom.” RSF reminded the minister that “since the end of October, 40 journalists had been hurt by activists or policemen during political demonstrations.” RSF asked the leaders of Bangladeshi political parties to publicly condemn the behaviour of their activists towards the press. Finally, RSF asked that the culprits to be identified and sentenced.
According to RSF’s information, on 24 December, four journalists were hurt during a gathering of a newly created opposition party in Dhaka. For several minutes, activists of the Awani League, the ruling party, fired into the crowd and threw home-made bombs at followers of the new political party. Timir Lal Dutta, of the daily “Dainik Khabar”, Rafiqul Sabuj, of Bangadesh News Service, Mamum-ur Rashid, of “Manav Zamin” and Siddique Islam, of “Banglar Bani” were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds. Riot police stationed nearby did not react quickly enough to bring the situation under control and ensure the protection of those present.