(Media Watch/IFEX) – The following is a Media Watch press release: Journalists and photojournalists assaulted At least three reporters and two photojournalists were assaulted by police and opposition party activists in Dhaka during the first 48 hours of a 60-hour general strike. The strike was called by the opposition parties, who are demanding the government’s […]
(Media Watch/IFEX) – The following is a Media Watch press release:
Journalists and photojournalists assaulted
At least three reporters and two photojournalists were assaulted by police and opposition party activists in Dhaka during the first 48 hours of a 60-hour general strike. The strike was called by the opposition parties, who are demanding the government’s resignation.
On 1 April 2001, during the first day of the general strike, photojournalist Sawkat Jamil (Sangbad) and Jewel (AFP) came under police attack while they were working near Bijoynagar area. They were attempting to photograph an incident involving a hand-made bomb that was thrown by the opposition, but the police blamed them for having thrown the bomb. The police attacked the photojournalists, who were eventually rescued.
On 2 April, three journalists were assaulted by supporters of one of the top-ranking opposition leaders, Mirza Abbas (former mayor of the city of Dhaka), while there were working. At about 1:30 p.m., reporters Galman Safi and Mashiur Rahman of the daily “Bangla Bazar”, and Fazle Azim of the daily “Inquilab” were collecting information in the Shahjahanpur area of Dhaka. Abbas’ supporters attacked, threw water, and ordered them to leave the area.
Another incident occurred at around 5 p.m. on 2 April, when opposition supporters burned a “Bangladesh Observer” vehicle, and injured its driver.
On the night of Sunday 1 April, Borhanul haq Samrat, the Dhaka University correspondent for the daily “Prothom Alo” who is also a student, was physically attacked by a group of Chatra league supporters at Zia hal. The Chatra league is the student wing of the ruling party. Sources say that Chatra league activists attacked Samrat because they were annoyed over some of his reports related to campus politics.
