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Bangladesh : Editor of Daily Beheaded as Media Attacks Spiral |
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by one world/Scott Edwards
Email: scottisimo (nospam) hotmail.com (unverified!) |
05 Oct 2004
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The latest incident in a series threatening the health of independent media in Bangladesh... |
NEW DELHI, Oct 5 (OneWorld) - International media freedom group Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has expressed outrage at the barbaric murder Sunday of a regional newspaper editor in northern Bangladesh -- the fourth journalist to be killed in the south Asian nation in 2004 -- the third highest tally after Iraq and the Phillipines.
RSF has called on Bangladesh's home affairs minister, Lutfozzaman Babor, to set up an investigative commission to probe the murder of Dipankar Chakrabarty, 59 in the northern town of Sherpur in the border district of Bogra.
Chakrabarty, editor of regional daily Durjoy Bangla, was returning home after work when he was attacked by five young men armed with axes who brutally axed his head, early Sunday morning.
Neighbors heard screams and the sound of motorbikes on which the killers fled. On rushing into the street, they found the editor's decapitated body.
Police said they had recovered a sack and towel used by the assailants from the scene.
Dipankar's body was taken to the Bogra Press Club after autopsy, where the local journalist community held a rally to protest the killing.
They issued an ultimatum to the administration to nab the killers within 72 hours, and brought out a silent procession with Dipankar's body, blockading the Dhaka-Bogra highway for five minutes.
In neighboring Rajshahi local journalists staged street demonstrations, the most striking being one by journalist Zahangir Alam Akash who remained standing continuously for two hours.
In a symbolic protest, he had covered his eyes and mouth with black cloth and used rope to tie his hands behind his back. He displayed a long list of journalists killed by miscreants, questioning who the next target would be.
In a singular mark of protest, regional newspapers decided to publish blank front pages till Wednesday.
In a letter to the minister, RSF stressed, "Unless all possible light is shed on the motives for this murder, the entire press will suffer anguish. This execution bears the hallmarks of people ready to do anything to get rid of a journalist who was getting in their way."
A police officer told Agence France-Presse the murder was the work of "professionals," but he did not yet know the motives or identity of those responsible.
Chakrabarty had previously told RSF he was under threat due to some exposes he had done on local gangsters who enjoy the protection of politicians in Sherpur.
Chakrabarty who began his journalistic career in the 1970s, was vice-president of the Bogra branch of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ). The BFUJ decided to hang a black flag in all its offices and its members will wear a black badge for three days.
According to RSF, after Iraq and the Philippines, in 2004, the largest number of journalists have been killed in Bangladesh.
More journalists suffered physical attack and received death threats in Bangladesh than in any other country during 2002, 2003 and during the first months of 2004.
Journalists continue to be routinely attacked with impunity in Bangladesh.
On September 19, a gang of drug traffickers viciously thrashed Azaharul Islam Montu, working for regional daily Grammer Kagoj in the southwestern district of Satkhira, leaving him unconscious in the middle of the road.
They were allegedly provoked by a report he had done on local drug traffickers.
Despite the seriousness of the assault, RSF said the culprits might get away because of the protection of powerful local figures.
RSF says local gangsters boldly attack journalists who challenge them every week, emphasizing that, "The government should act to halt this violence against journalists or lose all international credibility."
According to information obtained by RSF, on September 22, the police refused to open an investigation into the assault. Reportedly, a deputy in the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had used his influence to ensure the police did not investigate the case. He allegedly insisted he would "settle things amicably" with him.
Significantly, RSF says it has recorded more than 20 physical attacks and threats against journalists originating with the BNP or its different arms since the beginning of this year.
Since August 13, the organization says four journalists have been assaulted and more than 60 threatened in less than one month.
In addition, from August 18, leading daily Prothom Alo has received threats from several Islamist organisations angered by the newspaper's expose on Middle East funding for its religious seminaries.
Worse, political hoodlums and criminals attacking journalists invariably proceed with complete boldness, confident of escaping punishment. |
This work is in the public domain |
