Star invited, then shown the door

A reporter of The Daily Star was denied entry to a programme organised yesterday to felicitate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for finalising the Land Boundary Agreement with India.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) organised the event at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) and invited the newspaper to cover it.

Accordingly, the reporter arrived at the venue at 2:40pm, a good 50 minutes ahead of the programme's scheduled start.

At the first security check point, the reporter learnt that his and his newspaper's names were not included in the extensive media list.

 Upon seeing the personalised invitation card from the FBCCI, an official of the Special Branch (SB) let him in.

When the reporter proceeded toward the final check point inside the BICC, a Special Security Force officer first cleared him for entry into the hall. However, she asked the reporter to leave behind his notepad; he would not be allowed in with a diary.

The SSF officer remained firm on her decision and called in an SB officer to the spot for a solution, who asked various questions to the reporter.

"Oh, you are from The Daily Star. Don't you know that The Daily Star is not allowed to the prime minister's programme? You get out of here right now," the SB officer said.

The reporter left the spot without further discussion.