Killing of journalists

By Md. Masrur Hossain, Physics and Astronomy University Of British Columbia, Vancouver
29 January 2004, 18:00 PM
A wave of torture and killing of journalists has been witnessed recently. Some days ago our prime minister gave the impression in a Dhaka university ceremony that her government would uphold freedom of speech at any costs. Now, nearly all leaders of the BNP, top to bottom, have launched an apparent campaign to bash journalists. When top leaders say that they do not believe in journalists any longer, then what will their followers do?

Strangely enough, even after the killing of Manik Saha, the government did not commit itself to saying anything more than the routine words that all killings and torture of journalists would be prosecuted. The government does not apparently like the journalists because it seems a fraction of the irregularities (the actual volume is immeasurable. Without organised corruption we couldn't have got the title 'champion of corruption' for the third time) are published in the prominent dailies. A few days ago, the government banned the Ahmadiyya books under pressure from religious zealots. By banning books of a religious sect, it has violated their constitutional rights.

Police cannot ensure their own security, let alone that of the journalists.