Harrowing Tales of Last Six Weeks

10 Patuakhali journalists intimidated, harassed

Series of protests go unheeded

24 October 2009, 17:00 PM

Sohrab Hossain, Patuakhali

Bangladesh Grameen Sangbadik Sangathan forms a human chain in front of Patuakhali Press Club yesterday protesting harassment of journalists in the district. Photo: STAR

At least 10 journalists of Patuakhali district have faced intimidation and harassment including false cases by the ruling party men during the last one and a half months. Demanding arrest and punishment of the perpetrators, local journalists have continued their programmes including submission of memorandum, human chain, protest procession and breaking pen but no action has been taken against the offenders. Following filing of 'false' cases against Israt Hossain Lipton, Galachipa upazila correspondent of the daily Prothom Alo, and his brother Saimoon Rahman Alit, upazila correspondent of the daily Amar Desh, they are on the run as with Galachipa police is looking for them to arrest. The cases were filed to avenge their reports on grabbing river and land by local lawmaker Golam Maula Roni in the name of building markets, said the journalists' family members, adding that police and ruling party cadres are threatening them too. On September 8, Moslem Bayati, a caretaker in Galachipa, filed an extortion case against Lipton and Alit with Galachipa Police Station. On September 10 night, Nilufa Begum, wife of Selim of Chotoshiba village under Charkazal union in the upazila, filed a case against Lipton claiming that he raped her on the day in a local hotel. Laizu Begum, another woman of the same area, filed an extortion case against Lipton and Alit. Hamidullah of Galachiapa municipality area on September 13 filed a case claiming that Lipton and Alit received Tk 30,000 from him by giving false assurance of allotment of a house under Sidr recovery programme implemented by the Prothom Alo. A defamation case was filed against Abu Zafor Khan, Patuakhali district correspondent for the daily Manab Zamin, its Editor Motiur Rahman Chowdhury and its Publisher Mahbuba Chowdhury with Galachipa Upazila Judicial Magistrate's Court on October 1. Following pressure by the ruling party men, Liza Akhter, who was allegedly raped by a gang, filed the defamation case as a report on the matter was published in the daily on its September 30 issue. Attackers gave life threat to Gofran Biswas Polash, Kalapara upazila correspondent of the daliy Shatee, published from Patuakhali town, also district correspondent of the Bangladesh Observer, on October 1 night when he was returning to his Orphanage Road residence in the upazila town. Polash also lost his job on October 3 as local ruling party leaders allegedly forced the editor of the daily to discharge him. The editor, Anwar Hossain, however denied any such pressure. On the other hand, Mufti Salahuddin, Patuakhali district correspondent of RTV, on September 9 filed a case with Galachipa Police Station accusing 20/25 people including Israt Hossain Abbas, president of Galachipa upazila unit of BCL, on charge of attacking Mufti Salahuddin and Abu Taher Bappa, Patuakhali correspondent of Bangla Vision, but police recorded it as an FIR on October 5. The accused, known as associates of the local lawmaker, are yet to be arrested. On September 9, the gang attacked Salahuddin and Bappa when they were going to Galachipa from Patuakhali for their professional duties. Threatened by the gang, Abu Zafor Khan of the daily Manab Zamin, Sankar Lal Das of the Daily Prothom Alo and ABC Radio, Khondokar Delwar Jalali of Channel One and Hanjala Shihab of Digonta TV -- Patuakhali district correspondents of the respective media, had to remain inside Galachipa Police Station for two hours on the day. On September 21, the Prothom Alo published news on grabbing rivers and land at launch ghat area of Galachipa town. Another news was also published in the daily Amar Desh on the same issue on September 27. Patuakhali journalists submitted separate memorandum to the prime minister, home minister and information minister through Patuakhali deputy commissioner on October 7 demanding removal of the officer-in charge of Galachipa Police Station and arrest of all the culprits involved in September 9 attack on journalists in Galachipa under Patuakhali district. Bangladesh Grameen Sangbadik Sangothon yesterday formed a human chain in front of Patuakhali Press Club demanding immediate arrest of all culprits who attacked journalists on September 9 in Galachipa.