Articles by Media Watch
Journalist kidnapped, target of attempted murder
On the evening of 28 March 2000, Nur Muhammed, a correspondent with the daily “Manavjamin” and the general secretary of the press club in Karimgonj (a small town in the Kishorgonj district), was kidnapped. The assailants attempted to shoot him but he was rescued and two of his attackers were later arrested. On 26 March, […]
Journalists threatened; bomb attack against daily; journalists assaulted
The following is a Media Watch listing of recent attacks against the Bangladeshi press: 1. On the first day of the new millenium, two Bangladeshi journalists received death threats. On 1 January 2000, a number of individuals from the ruling party student wing rushed to the offices of the “Banglabazar Patrika” daily in the capital […]
State of press freedom in Bangladesh in 1999
STATE OF PRESS FREDOM IN BANGLADESH IN 1999 Summary Report by MEDIA WATCH, Bangladesh Detailed report will be available by May 2000 1999 was a year of violence against freedom of the press in Bangladesh. It was a year of intolerance among the ruling party and opposition activists. A large number of press photographers and […]
Journalists attacked
(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 […]
Newspaper office attacked
(Media Watch/IFEX) – The office of a daily was attacked during a demonstration by the main opposition political party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), held on the evening of Monday 30 August 1999. At least thirty people, including fourteen employees of the “Daily Janakantha”, were injured, two of them critically when dozens of gunshots were […]
BBC office under threat
(Media Watch/IFEX) – Unknown terrorists have threatened to blow up the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) Dhaka office. On 25 August 1999, an unidentified man contacted the BBC Dhaka office by telephone and ordered the staff to stop broadcasting news on recent developments in the conflict between India and Bangladesh. He threatened that, if his order […]
Talebans threaten to kill sculptor
(Media Watch/IFEX) – Religious extremists identifying themselves as Talebans (followers of the Islamic extremist group which rules Afghanistan) reportedly threatened to kill sculptor Shamim Sikder. A letter signed by the commander of the Taleban Bahini stated that Shamim Sikder, an associate professor of the Department of Sculpture of the Institute of the Fine Arts (IFA) […]
Bangladeshi journalists targeted by police
(Media Watch/IFEX) – In Bangladesh, journalists, especially photojournalists, have again become the targets of the police. During the general strike, held all over the country on 11 May 1999, at least thirteen journalists were injured when police attacked them. The strike was called by the country’s main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and […]