In the coastal area 16 journalists are harassed (January-February)

The political parties, corrupted person, miscreant and terrorist harass sixteen journalists of 10 coastal areas in Bangladesh in different way in the month of January-February. The causes of harassment are political instability, corruption, terrorism and different irregularities. Local journalists sources said.

All these information quoted from an investigative survey, conducted by Mass-Line Media Centre (MMC) in the month of January-February 2007.

Barisal
A case was filed against the publisher, editor and chief of bureau of The Daily Samokal. The case was filed by Barisal City Corporation (BCC) Mayor, Sarwar Hossain, for publish the news of ‘The luck of BCC Mayor are turning like rocket in 5 years’.

Another report, ‘BCC Mayor goes to the out scene of people’, for publishing this news a law notice circulated against the publisher, editor, news editor and the chief of Barisal bureau of The Daily Prothom Alo. Mamunur Rashid Nomani, journalists of The Daily Shanama of Barisal, was arrested by RAB on February 8 with the allegation of extortion. But he and got free from the allegation on April 2007.

Jhalokati
Journalists Palash Roy, Hasan Sikder and Raton of Jhalokati district were threatened when they try to collect information on becoming millionaire of ex-law minister. Palash Roy also threatened by Fazlul Haq, son of a boatman at Jhalokathi for pulishing the report ‘suddenly became millionaire of a boatman’s son’. Humayun Kabir, representative of The Daily Dakkhinanchal threatened for publish the report on the activities of Mijan forces.

Pirojpur
Humayun Kabir, editor of The weekly Dak of Pirojpur district was arrested and sent to jail when he try to collect information on tender corruption of housing department in Pirojpore. He was reversely charged with extortion and sent to jail.

Laxmipur
Some tender corruption also happened at Laxmipur district. There , a case was filed against Abul Kalam Azad, correspondent of NTV and Daily Jugantor for publishing the report of tender corruption of housing department of Laxmipur. There was also an interesting case against the correspondent of The Daily Inquilab, Hossain Ahmed Helal, not to give false statement against the reporting of tender corruption of the reporter Daily Jugantar. Now he (Hossain Ahmed Helal) is staying at jail under the emergency ordinance section 16.

Noakhali
M. Dilder uddin was threatened by a local BNP leader. BNP leader of Hatia thana declared in a public meeting that Dildar Uddin might be punnished by BNP activists due to publish the reports on the torture of BNP.

It is known to the survey, most of the journalists harassment events happened in local level. To prevent these tortures, the local journalists of Barisal, Noakhali, Jhalokathi have already protested jointly. But it is not happened at Laxmipur and Pirojpur.

From the opinion of journalists of different district, it is clear that the local and common people could not organize the seminar meeting to protest the persecution of the present emergency ordinance in the country.

Types of published news

In the month of January-February corruption and torture, illegal position eviction, expedition against adulteration, rescue of relief tin, agriculture problem, expedition of joint forces and other different development reports have more published.

Journalists have brought this type of change on their report after happened the emergency ordinance on January 11. This information got from different journalists of 8 districts in the country.

In past two months journalists covered huge write ups on the issues of corruption, illegal possession, law and order situation of the period of past government and opposition parties. But the journalists of Bagerhat, Noakhali, Bhola and Borguna did not cover many important news due to survive their existence. In result, people were deprived from those important information.

On the other hand, many important news did not publish and it was not possible to raise the wrong step of joint forces. A journalist of Laxmipur district said that if a journalist wants to report on the action of joint forces he/she must be punished and faced a false case by joint forces.

Many journalists informed that positive news has published more in this time. As the irregularities of different influential person and the political pressure many reports could not publish in last 5 years. Some of those reports have been published in this time. The activities of influential person, political activities were stopped with the presence of joint forces in field level.
Our Bagerhat correspondent informed that a lot number of terrorists caught up by joint forces in this time.

Our Pirojpur correspondent informed that a report on women and child harassment published in newspaper and local women alliance arranged procession against a householder and police arrested him. After published the report on clinical business, illegal possession and other different issues of Laxmipur, administration and joint forces took their attempt.

Some journalists expressed that many journalists are harassed and used by political and other influential persons due to have no unity among the journalists. But they demanded that they have good relation with local administration, police administration and business community.
Administration does not create direct pressure on newspaper by controlling the advertisement now. But they are creating pressure to control advertisement upon some newspaper indirectly, informed some representatives.

No activities were taken by any institute for the professional development of journalists in this time.The information is provided by the journalists of Bhola, Potuakhali, Feni, Pirojpore, Noakhali and Bagerhat. But the correspondent of Barguna and Laxmipur informed that Mass-line Media Centre (MMC) was in active role with the activities like seminar, training, procession etc.

Journalist Harassment Bangla report January - February 07 as PDF >>