(Media Watch/IFEX) – The following is a 20 April 2001 Media Watch press release: Journalist Shot Gunmen shot the Faridpur district correspondent of the Daily Janakantha, Prabir Sikder, in a deadly attack yesterday (20 April) morning, leaving him critically injured. He was first rushed to Faridpur Medical College Hospital and then shifted to Suhrawardy Hospital […]
(Media Watch/IFEX) – The following is a 20 April 2001 Media Watch press release:
Journalist Shot
Gunmen shot the Faridpur district correspondent of the Daily Janakantha, Prabir Sikder, in a deadly attack yesterday (20 April) morning, leaving him critically injured. He was first rushed to Faridpur Medical College Hospital and then shifted to Suhrawardy Hospital in Dhaka with his condition deteriorating.
Police and witnesses said the newsman was going to cover a robbery in the town at about 9 a.m. from his Kanaipur village home when he came under attack. A gang of six terrorists blasted a bomb, stopped his motorbike near Badarpur Khanpura Textile Mills and fired on him. As Prabir fell down, having received two bullets in his right leg and left hand, the handlooms knifed him indiscriminately.
Local journalists noted that Prabir’s recent series of reports against influential individuals who collaborated with the Pakistani army during the country’s 1971 liberation war might have earned him wrath. Under this series, he has so far written about Musa-bin-Shamsher and two others. Musa served under the Pakistani army in 1971 and helped them rape several women in Faridpur during Bangladesh’s liberation war. Now he is the brother in law of the Health Minister of the country and making lot of money by exporting labourers to Middle East countries. Prabir’s family sources said Musa and his armed cadres threatened Prabir after he published his investigative report in the Daily Janakantha.
Faridpur Press Club members held an emergency meeting after the incident and demanded the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the criminals. A case was filed with the Kotwali police in connection with the incident.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
– urging them to take immediate action against the perpetrators of the attack
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:Honourable Sheikh Hasina
Prime Minister
Fax: +88 02 811 1015 / 811 3244Honourable Mohd. Nasim
Home Minister
Fax: +88 02 861 9667Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
