The Editors' Council has strongly protested against the arrest and detention of Dainik Agrajatra Pratidin Acting Editor Md Rejanur Islam in connection with a case filed in Bogura over a report concerning Local Government State Minister Mir Shahe Alam. The organisation has demanded his immediate release.
Expressing concern over the incident in a statement on Saturday, Editors' Council President Nurul Kabir and General Secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmud said the move contradicted BNP's election manifesto and its 31-point state reform programme, which commit to ensuring press freedom and freedom of expression.
Rejanur Islam was arrested in Joydevpur on Friday in connection with the case filed by Md Tanvir Alam, treasurer of the Bogura Press Club, on June 17. The case, filed under the Cyber Security Act on charges of defamation, relates to a report concerning Local Government State Minister Mir Shahe Alam. Following his arrest, he was sent to jail.
In the statement, the President and the General Secretary pointed out that there were legal and institutional mechanisms for lodging complaints against news reports. Aggrieved persons may submit complaints to the Press Council, the legally established body responsible for adjudicating and resolving such matters, or seek remedies through the courts under existing laws.
Referring to the present case, in which a journalist was arrested and sent to jail over a case filed by another journalist, the Editors' Council said it reflects a recurrence of the same troubling practice witnessed during the tenure of the Awami League government, when journalists were subjected to lawsuits, arrests and harassment for publishing reports.
The Editors' Council leaders also said that the growing tendency to file criminal cases against journalists and send them to prison over news reports is a matter of deep concern for independent journalism and the right to freedom of expression.
They further observed that such actions could negatively affect the independence of newspapers and media professionals. They warned that Bangladesh's current ranking of 152nd in the World Press Freedom Index could deteriorate further, undermining media freedom in the country and damaging its image in the international arena.
Reiterating its demand for immediate release of Rejanur Islam, the Editors' Council urged the authorities to make sure that grievances against journalists are addressed through existing legal and institutional frameworks, particularly through the Press Council.
smunima@yahoo.com
