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Bangladesh Jihadis target journalists
On Tuesday, 17 journalists in the far northern district of Dinajpur received death threats from Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), a youth front of the Al-Qaeda-funded Harqat-ul-Jihad, OneWorld reports. The JMJB killed over 10 leftists, locally known as âSarbaharasâ, with the help of police and apparently harassed scores of villagers before press reports about its activities compelled the group to lie low.Bangladesh seems to be following the Pakistani model of state-spronsored Jihad, which is bound to turn out well. Mr Asadullah Sarkar, the Dinajpur correspondent of leading daily Prothom Alo, recalled: âThey told us we were spared in February but nothing would save us now. They termed us as evil and said we should put down our pens or our wives would become widows.â To emphasise their point, members of JMJB armed with bamboo poles and hockey sticks staged a showdown, reportedly under police escort, in the northern city of Rajshahi, reiterating the death threats. On the day of the protests, the leader of the JMJB mob, Lutfar Rahman, thundered: âWe have pledged to eliminate outlaws. We will stay as long as the outlaws are here. But reporters are falsely accusing us of killing, torture and oppression. They do not know that their pen might stop some day.â "Because we will kill, torture and oppress them.." Instead of condemning the threats, the superintendent of police in Rajshahi, Mr Masud Mia, told the JMJB: âWe (police) hail you for your help in eliminating the sarbaharas. We must cooperate with you in future so people can live without fear.â The lack of police and administration support for journalists has been emphasised in a Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) report, which says confrontational politics, corruption and the apathy of courts towards journalistsâ cases increases the risks facing reporters. The countryâs highly polarised political climate complicates the situation, causing divisions between journalists as well, feels CPJ. Journalist, Mr Saleem Samad, who accuses the ruling BNP-Jamaat alliance government of harassment, said: âThe pro-secular and independent press is facing the wrath of the pro-right and pro-Islamist coalition government. Repressive measures are spontaneous when journalists expose bad governance.â The government on its part accuses the media of not fulfilling its duties. The Prime Minister, Ms Khaleda Zia told a recent state-level meeting: âMany newspapers are not playing the right and responsible role.â The Law Minister, Mr Moudud Ahmed claimed: âThe media in Bangladesh is absolutely free, but journalists sometimes abuse it.â Posted by: Paul Moloney 2004-05-29 |
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