Mahmudur in jail for exposing govt's misdeeds

Nobody can now speak out freely in Bangladesh and Daily Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman was sent to jail for his statements against the government's misdeeds and misrule, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday.

Bangladesh is passing a "tough time" as the Awami League government was closing down private television channels and newspapers one after another, he told a discussion in the capital's Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.

BNP's movement against the government's "terrible misrule" will be victorious for sure, just as Bangladeshis were against the then Pakistani regime, he added.

However, he said BNP had not lost hope witnessing the "illegal" government's "unbearable and limitless oppression" against the opposition leaders and activists.

"Some 74,000 cases were filed so far against 4.5 lakh BNP men. Still I am hopeful...that the misrule will be over soon," he said.

The daily organised the programme marking three years of Mahmudur's incarceration. Discussants demanded his immediate release. 

The government suffered from arrogance, could not accept criticism and did not pay heed to anyone's advice, he said.

"BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia had called upon the government to resolve the ongoing political crisis through national unity but the government did not pay heed to it. I will therefore urge the government once again to resolve the crisis through dialogue," he said.