(Media Watch/IFEX) – On 12 December 1999, at least fifteen journalists were attacked by opposition party activists and injured in the port city of Chittagong. Two journalists were hospitalised and the other thirteen were released from hospital after receiving treatment for their injuries. The journalists had gathered at Laldighi Maidan in the afternoon of 12 […]
(Media Watch/IFEX) – On 12 December 1999, at least fifteen journalists were attacked by opposition party activists and injured in the port city of Chittagong. Two journalists were hospitalised and the other thirteen were released from hospital after receiving treatment for their injuries.
The journalists had gathered at Laldighi Maidan in the afternoon of 12 December to cover an anti-government rally organised by the opposition four-party alliance. At the rally, Mufti Mawlana Ezharul Haq, one of the alliance’s Islamic fundamentalist leaders, accused journalists of “partisanship” and “betrayal”, saying “they never write the correct story.” Some of the senior journalists protested his comments, after which time some of the alliance’s activists attacked the press box with sticks and knives. They stole cameras, money, tape recorders and cellular phones and beat the journalists. The injured included Rafiqul Bahar and Helal Uddin, senior reporters with the “Ptothom Alo” newspaper and daily “Azadi”, respectively. They were immediately taken to hospital. Other injured journalists included Nasirul Haq of the daily “Arthaniti”, Rashed Ahmed, a photojournalist with “Prothaom Alo”, Mainuddin Dulal of “Azadi”, Mohammed Ali of “Purbokone”, Mustafizur Rahman, a photojournalist with the daily “Ittefaq” and Kazi Abu Mansur of the daily “Janakantha”, among others.
Background Information
Four anti-government parties recently formed an alliance under the leadership of former President H.M. Ershad and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. They lead two nationalist parties but have joined forces with two extremist Islamic fundamentalist groups as partners in the new alliance.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the leader of the opposition:
– urging him to control the alliance’s leaders and activists, so that journalists can perform their duties while covering opposition party programmes and events
– noting that over 100 journalists were injured in the last three years while covering opposition party programmes and events
– noting that journalists often become the target of police, government and opposition party activists
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:Begum Khaleda Zia
Leader of the Opposition
Fax: +88 02 831 8687Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
