The confinement, harassment, arrest of female investigative reporter Rozina Islam and subsequently sending her to jail without issuing bail by the relevant court may be mentioned as another awful example of media gagging in Bangladesh. We hope the court will exercise its right to examine the case to know about the substance of the allegations.
No law is necessary for justification of filing cases. The allegations are serious but not to be taken seriously. Other than massive corruption what state secrets are to be found in Health Ministry? Corruption allegations among the officials of the Health Ministry should be urgently pursued.
The issue, in the meantime, has triggered widespread protests and criticisms at home and abroad. The journalist community of Bangladesh has expressed their annoyance by organizing protest programmes under the banners of different organizations.
The press is tolerated but it would be shameful to talk about press freedom. The government is little embarrassed if foreign media attention is drawn. The government knows the press is too obliging and divided on political allegiance.
One young journalist admitted on a television talk show night before last that journalists themselves are responsible for losing journalistic backbone.
He did not go further to say how most of the journalists have happily chosen to be party activists of undemocratic political parties. In BAKSAL time when only four nationalised dailies were permitted to exist, no protest came from the journalists. They preferred to be government employees like in communist countries.
The cause and honour once lost is not easy to regain. We feel sorry to say journalists have lost their respect and independence long time back. The government is somewhat concerned when anything gets foreign media attention.
So it hurts us but carries no weight with the government when they talk of press freedom and their professional right and dignity.
Investigative report to expose secrets of ill doings of the government comprise government secrets. The secrets of corruption of abuse of power are not state secrets. These are government secrets. The journalists have the right to investigative secretly or openly. Otherwise journalism is not needed. The sycophants are there to praise every failure of the government.
In the context of Bangladesh those journalists who want to discuss freedom the freedom of the press are welcome.
But what is intolerable to us is the audacity of the allegations that the young female journalist was physically mishandled, humiliated and confined in the ministry for five hours. The govern must learn behave. Only thieves and thugs are not accepted as honourable. She was treated as a criminal.
