journalist lodged a complaint and asked the police to
insure his protection. According to the reporter, undamentalists reproached him
for his critical articles.
On 6 October, JCD activists occupied the office of
Kaliakoir press club. They hung a sign board: "City branch of the
JCD". The press club president lodged a complaint. The journalists
protested to local BNP leader, especially because the chief of the activists
group is the son of the BNP vice-president. No action was taken by the BNP or the
authorities. But later the activists threatened with death the three
journalists who are leading the press club.
Between the 5th and 7th of October, three journalists
were violently attacked in Satkhira (south-west of the country). On the 5th ,
Abdul Wahab, correspondent of the Bangla daily Samachar, was taken to a
hospital after being assaulted by unidentified people in the street. The day
after, Moslem Ahmed, correspondent of the defunct pro-Awami League newspaper
Banglar Bani, was beaten near the bazar at Kolarua in Satkhira. According to
the press freedom watchdog Media Watch, the police arrested him after this
attack, for unknown reasons.
On 7 October, Abu Ahmed, correspondent of Daily Star
and local leader of a trade union linked with Awami League, was attacked by
four persons with unknown motivations.
BNP student wing activists attacked Swapan Basu,
reporter for the governmental news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha at the
Dhaka University, on 8 October 2001. Beaten by a group of around 15 militants,
the young correspondent, was later taken to hospital. He lost two teeth. Two
press photographers, Zia Islam (Prothom Alo) and S.M. Gorky (Jugantor), were
also attacked while they took pictures of assault on Basu.
On 10 October, Jamaat-e Islami student wing threatened
during a meeting with press correspondents in the Rajshahi University. "Be
prepared, your time is over. Now our time has come. You have written a lot
against us. Now drop your pen or otherwise you will suffer for your
deeds", said Shafiqul Islam, leader of this group. He threatened the
reporters with reprisals .
At the same time, Maulana Delwar Hossain Sayeedi,
Jamaat-e Islami Member of Parliament, threatened Shafiul Haque Mithu,
correspondent of Dainik Janakantha, and asked him to leave Pirojpur (south of
the country). The journalist had written articles about the participation of
the fundamentalist leader in massacres during 1971 Independence war.
On 10 October, henchmen of Bacchu Mollah, son of
Ahsanul Haque Mollah, the new Post and Telecommunication Minister, ransacked
the home of Jahurul Islam, correspondent with Dainik Jugantor in Daulatpur
(district of Kushtia, west of the country). The journalist was not at home, but
his elder brother was beaten and taken to the residence of the BNP leader¿s son
by his assailants. They forced him to sign a letter in which he agreed that he
would provide them information to capture his brother.
Four days later, the minister’s son threatened
journalists during a press conference, telling them not to blame him for this
attack. On 15 October, the Home Minister ordered police to raid Bacchu Mollah’s
residence, but they failed to arrest him. The same day, the Post and
Telecommunication Minister complained to the Prime Minister about the raid,
just when she came back from the holy city Mecca. Khaleda Zia allegedly
answered that he will be dismissed if he does not control his son’s behaviour.
On 14 October, unknown people attacked the Gazipur press club (north of Dhaka). They stole a television, and damaged furniture and the portrait of Shiekh Mujibur Rahman, first President of Bangladesh.