Staff Reporter :
Arrest of female investigative reporter Rozina Islam, who wrote several in-depth stories on massive corruption in the health ministry and government’s weakness in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, has triggered widespread protests and criticism at home and abroad.
Rozina Islam, Senior Correspondent of Bangla newspaper Prothom Alo, was detained late on Monday under the Official Secrets Act. She was sent to jail after being appeared in court on Tuesday charged with stealing health ministry documents under the act.
The court rejected a remand plea of police for remand and new hearing was set for her bail on Thursday. The court also fixed July 15 to submit the investigation report in the court over the incident.
Meanwhile, the journalist and human rights organizations feel that this incident is a big threat to the freedom of press. The organizations demanded immediate release of the journalist Rozina.
Journalists on Tuesday boycotted a press conference arranged by the Health Ministry and 14 journalists of different media houses submitted an application to the Officer in Charge of Shahbagh Police Station to accept voluntary imprisonment as part of their protest against the harassment of Rozina Islam.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Bangladesh government to release Rozina Islam immediately. A statement issued by the CPJ on Monday called for an end to the police investigation against journalist Rozina Islam and arrest under the Official Secrets Act.
The rights groups and media watchdogs have said a crackdown on the media has grown during the coronavirus crisis and hundreds of journalists went to the Shahbagh police station in Dhaka where the Rozina was taken.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has called for Rozina Islam’s immediate release. “We are deeply alarmed that Bangladesh officials detained a journalist and filed a complaint under a draconian colonial-era law that carries ridiculously harsh penalties,” said Aliya Iftikhar, CPJ’s senior Asia researcher in a statement yesterday.
It said the authorities must drop the cases against the journalist and release her immediately in the interest of the state’s international commitment at protecting the right to freedom of expression.
South Asia expert for Amnesty International Saad Hammadi said: “Bangladesh police and authorities should recognise that Rozina Islam is a journalist whose work is a public service and should immediately drop the case against her and allow her to go free.”
Leaders of journalist unions and advocacy groups who spoke at the protests said Rozina Islam had been arrested because of her reports on the government’s response to the pandemic.
“Her reports have clearly exposed the weaknesses of the ministry to safeguard the health rights of the people during the coronavirus pandemic,” the Law and Mediation Centre group said.
Saad Hammadi, South Asia expert for Amnesty International, said Islam’s arrest “is an attack on journalistic freedom. According to Rezaur Rahman Lenin, a UN rights consultant, at least 85 journalists have been charged under the 2018 law during the pandemic.
“The authorities must drop the cases against the journalist and release her immediately in the interest of the state’s international commitment at protecting the right to freedom of expression,” he said.
Earlier this month, nine non-governmental organisations wrote to Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, against the Bangladesh government’s increasingly violent crackdown on media freedom.
Amnesty International said at least 247 journalists have reportedly been subjected to attacks and intimidation by officials and others last year.
Meanwhile, the journalists across the country on Tuesday demanded immediate release of Rozina Islam and punishment of those who assaulted and harassed her at the Secretariat on Monday.
A delegation of Jatiya Press Club led by President Farida Yasmin and General Secretary Ilyas Khan met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal over Rozian Islam’s arrest on Tuesday.
Rozina’s brother Md Selim was also with the team. Home Minister reportedly assured them that Rozina will be released on bail on Thursday. “We don’t want any misunderstanding between the government and the journalists. We also want a beautiful and fair solution,” the minister said.
Farida Yasmin said, “We want justice. No one has the right to harass anyone.” Besides, Ilyas Khan said, “Rozina Islam was physically tortured. She was kept locked in a small room for several hours. She faced various forms of harassment, both mentally and physically. We have demanded this should be properly investigated.”
A section of journalists have demanded voluntary imprisonment in protest of the arrest Rozina Islam. They said the charges brought against Rozina can be brought against any investigative journalist.
Similar allegations can be brought against many of those present at the police station as investigative journalists expose corruption through collecting such secret documents for public interest. So, they went to the police station with an application for putting us in jail,” one of the protestors said.
The journalists were identified as Badruddoza Babu, Milton Anwar, Mohim Mizan, Parvez Reza, Munzurul Karim, Abdullah Tuhin, Khan Muhammad Rumel, Apurba Alauddin, Abdullah Al Imran, Nayan Aditya, SM Nuruzzaman, Shahnaz Sharmin, and Kawser Soheli.
In the morning, the journalists protested in front of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the afternoon. They also demanded withdrawal of the case filed against her. DRU President Mursalin Nomani said, “How did a government servant grab someone by the throat? Those who assaulted the journalist should be identified and brought to book.”
DRU General Secretary Mashiur Rahman said, they will sit for an emergency meeting on the issue and decide on tougher protest programmes to press home their demand.
Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters’ Forum (BSRF) and Bangladesh Health Reporters’ Forum (BHRF) have boycotted a press conference arranged by the Health Ministry as part of their protest against the harassment of Rozina Islam
Apart from this, journalists in Chattogram, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Tangail, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram also demonstrated seeking justice for Rozina. Chattogram Union of Journalist (CUJ) during a human chain programme held on the Chattogram Press Club premises urged the government to free Rozina and demanded that the case against her be withdrawn.
“Rozina Islam was working for the betterment of the nation by exposing corruption in the health ministry. Journalism is not a crime. Handcuffing Rozina is an ill effort to silence press freedom,” said Shamsul Islam, General Secretary of CUJ.
Mohammad Ali, President of CUJ said, journalists across the country will wage tougher programmes soon if their demands are not met.
Transparency International Bangladesh has strongly condemned the detention and harassment of investigative journalist Rozina Islam at the Ministry of Health while performing her professional duty.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, TIB has demanded immediate withdrawal of charges and unconditional release of Rozina Islam. It has also urged the government to show prudence by ensuring exemplary punishment to the culprits through proper investigation into the incident.
TIB’s executive director, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, “The harassment done by the officials of the Ministry of Health by confining a female journalist for hours for allegedly stealing government documents is not only unethical but also a naked expression of anger towards her.”
Iftekharuzzaman said, “It is natural to consider the incident an angry reaction of the authority towards Rozina Islam’s recent reports on the irregularities and corruption at the Ministry of Health and the lack of coordination and professionalism of the organization in dealing with the Corona crisis.”
This came as a warning message from the corrupts to those who are dedicatedly doing investigative journalism to protect public interest in the country amidst hundreds of adversities, said Dr Iftekharuzzaman
“Its consequences are beyond our comprehension,” he said.
The executive director of TIB expressed surprise at how the case was filed under sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act-1923 and sections 379 and 411 of the Penal Code, drawing on the issue of state secrecy against Rozina Islam.
“A selfish group has tried to challenge the whole media by trapping Rozina without considering her identity as a journalist,” said Iftekharuzzaman.
Expressing displeasure over the fact that not a single incident of torture of journalists has been properly investigated and prosecuted, TIB demanded immediate and unconditional release of the journalist for the future of independent journalism and media, and in the interest of upholding democracy, justice, good governance and Liberation War values.
IN another development, the National Human Rights Commission has condemned the “harassment” of Prothom Alo Senior Correspondent Rozina Islam by confining her to a government office for over five hours.
The commission also asked Health Services Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah for an explanation of the incident in a statement on Tuesday.
Rozina fell ill but the officials kept her confined “inhumanely” without making arrangements for her treatment, the commission said.
“The National Human Rights Commission strongly condemns the incident.”
Its Chairman Nasima Begum termed the incident a “repulsive act”.
Earlier, the Committee to Protect Journalists or CPJ called for Rozina’s release and withdrawal of a case against her under the Official Secrets Act.
She is accused of spiriting away important documents and taking photos of the papers.
On Monday night, journalists protested outside Shahbagh Police Station after she was turned over by the Secretariat officials.
Rozina denied any wrongdoing. Her colleagues said she might have been targeted for her reports on irregularities in the health ministry amid the coronavirus pandemic.
A Dhaka court on Tuesday turned down a the police plea to interrogate Rozina in their custody.
The court will hear her appeal for bail on Thursday.
The members of Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) on Tuesday boycotted a press briefing of the Health Ministry protesting the harassment and arrest of Prothom Alo senior reporter Rozina Islam.
The Health Ministry was scheduled to arrange a press briefing around 11 am at the secretariat.
BSRF came up with the announcement on Tuesday morning.
The next progammes will be announced after an emergency meeting over the issue, it said in a press release signed by Shamim Ahmed, general secretary of BSRF.
