Bangladesh

(IFJ/IFEX) – In a 15 July 2003 letter to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, the IFJ expressed deep concern over death threats received by seven journalists in Pirojpur district from an unnamed group. According to the IFJ’s information, Arif Mostafa of “Prothom Alo”, Muniruzzaman Nasim of “Dainik Ittefaq”, Shafiul Huq Mithu of “Dainik Janakantha”, Fashiul Islam […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: BANGLADESH: Journalist brutally attacked New York, June 27, 2003- The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the recent violent attack on Abul Bashar, the local correspondent for the Bengali-language national daily newspaper Janakantha (The People’s Voice) in Shariatpur district, which is located in southern Bangladesh. According […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 21 May 2003 CPJ press release: BANGLADESH: Kidnapped journalist found alive Another journalist remains imprisoned New York, May 21, 2003–Atahar Siddik Khasru, a reporter for the national Bengali-language daily Ittefaq who had been missing for three weeks, was found early this morning by a village roadside, his hands and […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 7 May 2003 letter to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, CPJ expressed deep concern over several recent attacks against the press in Sitakunda, an industrial town in Chittagong District, in southeastern Bangladesh. The organization is particularly worried about the fate of journalist Mahmudul Haq, who was arrested on 6 May, and journalist […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 20 March 2003 letter to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, CPJ expressed its deep concern about the safety of Shawkat Milton, a reporter for the Bengali-language national daily “Janakantha” who went into hiding on 14 March after learning that police were about to arrest him. The journalist had been covering campaign abuses […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 17 March 2003, RSF urged Interior Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury to rescind the arrest warrant issued for Shawkat Milton, the correspondent for the daily “Janakantha” in the southern city of Barisal. The journalist was forced to go into hiding on 12 March in order to avoid arrest. “This is not the first […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 6 March 2003, RSF welcomed the release of Reuters stringer Enamul Haq Chowdhury after nearly three months’ imprisonment. However, the organisation condemned the arrest of Dilip Kumar, correspondent for the daily “Prothom Alo” in Nikli (in the northern district of Kishoreganj), and physical attacks on six other reporters by police officers and […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 3 February 2003, RSF protested the continued police surveillance of freelance journalist Saleem Samad, who was recently released after spending 50 days in prison. The organisation called on Interior Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury to end the harassment against Samad and his family at once. Samad, who is also RSF’s correspondent in Bangladesh, […]

(RSF/IFEX) – Journalist Saleem Samad was released from prison on 18 January 2003, after spending 50 days in detention for helping a visiting team of journalists from the British television station Channel 4. On 14 January, the High Court had repeated its ruling that Samad was being illegally detained, after the government ignored a 23 […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 14 January 2003 CPJ press release: BANGLADESH: High Court orders journalist’s release New York, January 14, 2003—The High Court in the capital, Dhaka, ruled today that the government’s detention of journalist and press freedom activist Saleem Samad is illegal and ordered his release. On December 23, 2002, the court […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 14 January 2003, RSF protested the recent attack on two journalists by a leader of the country’s ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the central town of Rupganj. In a letter to Home Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, RSF demanded that those responsible for the assault on “Dainik Jugantor” correspondent A. Hye Milon […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is an 8 January 2003 CPJ press release: BANGLADESH: One journalist released; another remains in detention New York, January 8, 2003-Journalist and human rights activist Shahriar Kabir, who had been detained for one month on suspicion of conducting “anti-state activities,” was released yesterday. However, another journalist, Saleem Samad, who was also […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 6 January 2003, RSF expressed great concern for the physical safety of journalist Saleem Samad after the government secretly sent him to a prison in Gazipur, north of Dhaka, more than one month after being arrested for working with journalists from the British television station Channel 4. “Islamist and hardline newspapers are […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – In a 6 January 2003 letter to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, CPJ condemned the prolonged detention of journalist Saleem Samad, who remains in government custody on charges of “anti-state activities” after working with a documentary crew for Britain’s Channel 4 “Unreported World” series. On 24 December, government authorities ordered that Samad remain in […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 26 December 2002, RSF voiced its outrage at the Bangladeshi government’s decision to use the Special Powers Act to hold journalist Saleem Samad for another month. The one-month extension was obtained on 24 December, the same day that the high court ruled that Samad should be released on bail. Samad, who is […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 23 December 2002, RSF welcomed the 22 December release of human rights activist Priscilla Raj and the high court’s 23 December decision to order the release of journalist Saleem Samad on bail. The two were arrested in connection with their work for a team from Britain’s Channel 4 television. The organisation also […]