Three journalists receive death threats as election nears; CPJ urges president to ensure safe and free media environment
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 15 December 2006 CPJ letter to Bangladeshi President Iajuddin Ahmed December 15, 2006 Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed President, People’s Republic of Bangladesh Chief Advisor to the Government of Bangladesh Bangabhaban, Dhaka, Bangladesh Via facsimile: 88-2-9566242 Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about threats and attacks against journalists […]
Student activists attack reporter for negative coverage
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has condemned the 22 November 2006 attack on Hasibur Rahman Bilu, a reporter for the “Daily Star”, Radio Today and radio Deutsche Welle, in Bogra, north of Dhaka, by student activists belonging to an organisation linked to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The journalist needed hospital treatment for serious leg […]
Journalist receives death threats, police protection withdrawn for six threatened media outlets as European Parliament adopts resolution on violence against the media
(RSF/IFEX) – Six journalists have been the targets of attacks and threats in the past nine days, in a continuing wave of violence against the media that prompted the European parliament to pass a resolution urging the Bangladeshi authorities to prosecute those responsible, said Reporters Without Borders. “The interim government’s job is to create the […]
Journalist survives attempted murder; two others receive death threats; five others injured in attacks; murdered journalist’s case stalled despite court change
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ media release: IFJ demands greater respect for press freedom in Bangladesh The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is appalled by the lack of tolerance for media criticism and the eroding respect for press freedom in Bangladesh after two weeks of physical attacks, death threats and legal action against […]
Influential former minister sues six publications
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has voiced outrage at former cabinet minister Mirza Abbas’s decision to sue six publications for libel. A total of 18 editors and journalists currently face the possibility of prison terms as a result of criminal libel suits. One of the defendants, Shahadat Chowdhury, has been dead for the past two […]
Photographer arrested and tortured, 15 other journalists attacked while covering protests
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called for the immediate release of photographer Shafiqul Islam Shafiq of the Focus Bangla photo news agency, who has reportedly been tortured since his arrest by an elite Home Affairs Ministry unit on 28 October 2006 in Shikdari Bazar, in the northwestern Rajshahi region, on unfounded allegations of links with extremist […]
Controversial journalist attacked in office raid
(WiPC/IFEX) – The Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of International PEN is seriously concerned for the safety of journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Chaudhury, who was reportedly attacked by a group of about 30 men at the offices of his newspaper, “Blitz”, on 5 October 2006. His attackers are thought to have included leading members of […]
Journalist brutally murdered; ruling party activists suspected
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ media release: Stabbing murder of journalist in Bangladesh, “sickening” The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is outraged by the murder of Bellal Hossain Dafadar, correspondent of the Khulna-based daily newspaper Janabani, who died in hospital after being attacked and stabbed by up to five assailants on September 14. […]
Three journalists suffer harassment by politicians, one beaten at behest of ruling party parliamentarian
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has voiced outrage at the beating received by local reporter Mizanur Rahman Kawser on the orders of Manjurul Ahsan Munshi, a parliamentary representative for the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), in the city of Comilla on 3 September 2006. Kawser is also being harassed at Munshi’s behest and has been […]
Indian journalist badly beaten in Dhaka with complete impunity
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has voiced outrage at an attack on Indian journalist D.N. Mohanty, who was beaten unconscious in his home in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka on 31 July 2006, and at the attempts of both Bangladeshi and Indian authorities to hush up the case. “In view of the repeated attacks against […]
IFJ condemns brutal attack on radio correspondent
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ media release: IFJ condemns attack on media worker in Bangladesh The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is shocked by reports of a brutal assault by unknown assailants on radio correspondent, D. N. Mohanty, on July 31. The highly respected Dhaka-based All India Radio correspondent was reportedly admitted to […]
RSF condemns authorities’ failure to respond to death threats prior to bombing of independent weekly
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders has condemned the failure of the police to take any action in response to threats received by editor Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury prior to the bombing of his independent newspaper, the “Weekly Blitz”, in Dhaka on 5 July 2006. Two bombs went off, causing minor damage and no injuries, while […]
Office of controversial magazine “Weekly Blitz” bombed
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: BANGLADESH: Office of controversial magazine Weekly Blitz bombed New York, July 7, 2006 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a bomb attack on the office of the Bangladeshi magazine Weekly Blitz whose editor is on trial for sedition after writing about radical Islam. Editor Salah […]
IFJ concerned for Khulna journalist’s safety, calls for investigation into earlier assassination attempt
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is a 16 June 2006 IFJ open letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs: Ministry of Home Affairs, Bangladesh Secretariat, e-mail: info@mha.gov.bd fax: 880 2 7169667(Minister) or 880 2 7164788(Secretary) Honourable Minister, The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the organisation representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, is deeply concerned for the safety […]
Newspaper remains closed; BNP leader suspected to be behind attacks denies involvement
(HRW/IFEX) – The following is a Human Rights Watch press release: Bangladesh: Investigate Attacks on Media Ruling Party Activists Assault Journalists (New York, June 7, 2006) – Authorities in Bangladesh must promptly and impartially investigate and prosecute violent attacks against journalists last week by supporters of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Human Rights Watch […]
Police attack journalists protesting earlier BNP attack on newspaper; eight injured
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ media release: IFJ concerned over continued violence in Bangladesh The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is concerned over continuing violence against journalists in Bangladesh, after eight journalists were injured during a demonstration on May 31. The journalists were protesting attacks on the newspaper, Dainik Andolaner Bazar, by members […]