(RSF/IFEX) – On 4 November 2002, RSF condemned the arrest of five journalists from the privately-owned media over the course of one week. The organisation called for the immediate release of one of the journalists and demanded that Interior Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury explain why three others were arrested. RSF also urged the Education Ministry […]
(RSF/IFEX) – On 4 November 2002, RSF condemned the arrest of five journalists from the privately-owned media over the course of one week. The organisation called for the immediate release of one of the journalists and demanded that Interior Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury explain why three others were arrested. RSF also urged the Education Ministry to explain why officials from the ministry assaulted and briefly detained two television reporters.
Moniruzzaman Monir, a correspondent for the newspaper “Dainik Jugantor” in the southern town of Nalchity, was arrested on 23 October after the brother of Jamaat-e-Islami Party leader Abu Bakr Siddique filed a complaint against him, alleging violence and extortion. The newspaper had published an article by Monir about corruption allegations against the fundamentalist group’s local leader.
In the southern town of Agailjhara, three journalists – Saiful Islam, of “Dainik Jugantor”, Omar Ali Sani, of “Dainik Ittefaq”, and Babu, of the local daily “Dainik Gono Jagaron” – were arrested on 30 October. They were officially accused of extortion, but their arrest is thought to have been linked to recent articles in the national press about illegal tree-felling. A senior police officer is said to have concocted false evidence against the journalists. They were released on bail after journalists in the district capital, Barisal, pressed for their release.
Two journalists – Mujib Masud and Mamoon Abdullah – who work for the privately-owned Channel-1 television station’s programme “Roving Eye”, were assaulted and detained by officials at the Education Ministry building on 27 October. They were rescued by members of the Dhaka Reporters Unity journalists’ organisation.
Helal Uddin, a correspondent for the daily newspaper “Bhorer Kagoj” in the north-western town of Sirajgang, was arrested on 21 October, but it is unclear if his arrest was linked to his work. He was picked up by the army, which is conducting a nationwide drive against crime and political violence. Uddin appeared in court on 28 October and was denied bail. The next hearing of his case is scheduled for 9 November.
