Ekram Kabir
The death of journalist Manik Saha in Khulna was not another of nature`s whims; it was a cold-blooded killing. This gruesome incident once again exposes how Bangladeshi journalists have to live with enormous insecurity and pressure. It also exposes the state of the media in the country. Reporters Sans Frontiéres, in its annual report for 2003, describes Bangladesh as "by far the world`s most violent country for journalists."
The report says: "With more than 110 journalists physically attacked, 130 threatened and 25 arrested, the toll under Prime Minister Khaleda Zia`s government was exceptionally heavy."
The state insecurity is in such a bad shape that even Saha`s family members are too scared of taking up the matter with the police. His younger brother, Pradip Saha, was quoted as saying: "We want the killers to be punished, but they are too powerful. The family members do not want to file a case because we will get killed."
Those who personally knew Saha are enraged. At the same time, they are also dismayed, anticipating that this might be another of those killings which will not be solved. They fear this because the slaughtering of journalists continued in that region. Despite the government`s assurance of security, the assassins went scot free.
On March 2, 2002, the killing of Haroon-or-Rashid of the daily Purbanchal sent a shockwave across the region, prompting Home Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury to promise quick action to arrest the killers and help the victim`s family. Unfortunately, no headway has been made in Rashid`s killing.
There are many like Saha and Rashid. The administration in Dhaka reportedly likes to pass on the buck, covering the criminal activities by leftist extremists. Shukkur Hossain, a journalist of the daily Anirban was abducted from home and gunned down on the river Ghangrail in Khulna on July 5, 2002. His body was never found. Journalist Nahar Ali was killed in April 2001 near his home in Dumuria. None of the six accused of killing him was tried. Saiful Alam Mukul, editor of the Jessore-based Runner, was killed in 1998. Mir Illias Hossain, editor of the daily Bir Darpan, was killed in January 2000. SM Allaudin, editor of the weekly Ogradoot, was killed in the region in 1996. Shamsur Rahman, Jessore correspondent of the daily Janakantha, was gunned down at work on July 16, 2000.
As far as the Saha murder is concerned, there has been a replay of past rhetoric. The Prime Minister condemned the murder and gave orders to arrest the killers; the Information Minister said that the nation would suffer if journalism is smothered by terrorism; and the Home Minister promised that the criminals will be arrested.
The Leader of the Opposition went one step further; she went to Khulna and met media people there. She even promised that there would be no terrorist in her party when she returns to power. But wasn`t it during her tenure that hired goons of Joynal Hazari beat journalist Tipu Sultan mercilessly? Wasn`t it during her time when Saiful Alam Mukul, Illias Hossain, SM Allaudin and Shamsur Rahman were killed?
Well, of course, they had to say at least something! Their position would not have been justified if they didn`t say anything against a gruesome killing. It`s their job to issue statements to defuse the tension coming from a gruesome incident. But that would be it. If the chronicle of horrors in killing journalists is any indicator, this time, too, it would a hope against hope to expect anything to happen in resolving the killing.
But what keeps the journalists themselves from voicing their protests against this situation at the political level? Understandably, the entire journalist community — including journalist-leaders — is struck with grief. But what precisely have they contributed to ensure security of the country`s journalists? Shouldn`t have all the journalist leaders visited Khulna and protested? Well, they didn`t, for they probably were busy managing their petty factional interests in Dhaka. But then, what were the editors of widely circulated dailies doing? They could have protested by keeping some of the space in the front page blank? Well, they also didn`t.
There were, however, protests and all outside Dhaka - in Chittagong, in Rangpur, in Khulna and in many other places - places that are still outside the confines of power corridors. In Rangpur, even the beggars on the streets stayed away from begging in protest against the Saha killing. This self-explanatory attitude of Dhaka journalists should drive home a message that they need to do some soul-searching. It`s time journalists themselves shunned factionalism and got united for their own professional improvement and security.
Ekram Kabir, a Dhaka-based journalist, works with The Financial Express.
See also: Bomb kills Bangladesh journalist http://www.thehoot.org/story.asp?storyid=Web210214166208Hoot94347%20PM1032&pn=1