THE qcribes have been m busy as the political pundits this past year, trying, to,keep up with the kaleidoscope of development on the national front. While l^SS has been a year of political parleys and constitutional conundrums, the media has had Its heydey with reports, statements, speculations and columns cascading down the pages in reckless abundance. But perhaps the recklessness and occasional irresponsibility, often associated with our press, has been stemmed somewhat. Rather than the direct Intervention of the government, the long hand of the law has had a say in the matter. Media disputes are being settled In court and the degree of press freedom being enjoyed by the print media is appreciable, certainly by third world standards. Radio and television is another matter, however. Anyway, the sailing has certainly not been smooth as silk as a glance through the calendar will prove. The press has had Its fair share of hassles and headaches.
On January 4 Datnlk Janakatha's office in downtown Dhaka was stoned by angry Jatiya Party activists for carrying a' story about former JP leaders Joining the ruling BNP. The activists warned the paper against using such 'fictitious and politically motivated propaganda'. And a correspondent of the same paper in Mymensingh, was attacked by members of BNPs student front Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) on January 12 because the paper didn't run a story about a minister’s attendance of a certain meeting there. On January 11. mobs hurled fire crackers at the Sylhet office of Datnlk Bangla. the government-run daily, for running a story against fire crackers. In another skirmish, protesters clashed with police when the latter obstructed the former from demonstrating in front of the state-run Bangladesh Television and Radio Bangladesh on January 23. Backed by the three major political parties, Awami League, Jatiya Party and Ja-maat. the protesters demanded that the electronic media be freed from state control, as BNP had pledged during the anti-autocratic tk^! state-run news agency.
movement. Meanwhile, the government withdrew Its decision to supply light coloured newsprint to newspapers as'several newspapers as several newspapers "exaggerated their sales" to get extra tons of newsprint which sold at a profit in the black market. In Natore, I He faq correspondent was sentenced to six months imprisonment for assaulting the General Secretary of the local press club.
In February, the US State Department s Human Rights report for the previous year stated that Bangladesh enjoyed press freedom but newsprint quota and distribution of advertisements controlled freedom of expression. Five persons with home-made bombs were caught while entering the It-tefaq office on February 5. They were handed over to the police. On February 14, Tahmina Shawkat, wife of Labour Minister Mir Shawkat and Editor of Shakaler Kagoj. was assaulted by Shibir activists while driving past a procession of the group. Her paper is critical of fundamentalist politics. Three press photographers were also injured in the incident. The editor of Sangram was fined Tk 10,000 by the court on February 16 for publishing 'false and malicious' news against Left Democratic Front leader Rashed Khan Menon. On the February 27. the government banned the Calcutta publication Chiching Fak for containing pictures of the Prophet Mohammed (SM).
On March 18. the High Court issued a rule nisi upon the government to show cause for telecasting political opinion through Bangladesh Television. Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association had Issued a writ petition in this regard. And BSS demanded Bhorer KagoJ to apologise for its editorial on alleged irregularities in the agency. Journalists in Barisal protested on March 11 against bomb blasts at the Barisal Press Club premises, deciding to boycott police functions until action was taken. At midnight on March 24. Anwar Hossain Manju, editor of Ittefaq and minister of the previous government, was shot at by unknown assailants while in his car. He was unhurt. Armed persons attacked the office of Datnik
Rupall on March 27. Staff of the paper claim that the attack was aimed at the editor Mustafizur Rahman who was Jailed for siphoning depositors' money from the bank he owned. BNP activists manhandled correspondents of Sangbad and Bhorer Kagoj in Comilla for inquiring into the fertiliser crisis. BNP activists were also blamed for attacking newsmen on the way home from Narsinghdi where they had covered a JP rally. On Mar^h 12 arranged persons burst upon a press conference at Rangpur Press Club where a press conference was being held against admission procedure of Carmichael College. The press decided to boycott .police functions as the police refused to take up the case. On March 15 Bangladesh Press Council formed a five-member committee to look into the situation of Ittefaq in response to a complaint made by Malnu) Hossain. Chairman of the Board of Editors. The Jahangirnagar University Journalists Association decided to boycott news of the VC due to his attitude towards certain members of the body.
And in April, the Dhaka University Journalists Association decided to boycott news of Chhatra League until
an apology was issued for misbehavior towards the Dainlk Bangla university correspondent. as part of BNP inner rivalry, a group of persons attacked Desh Janata a pro-ruling party paper, on April 1. The same month. TAT Board field a case with the Press Council against Datntk Inqtlab for not publishing a rejoinder of a motivated' report published on March 28. On April 1 journalists and employees of A/taer KagoJ marched towards the Prime Minister's Office protesting the government's stoppage of advertisements to the paper for nearly two years. A press release of Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) of the Defense Mln istry on April 5 castigated the press for misleading, fabricated and motivated" reports about the armed forces. On April 27 Jatiyatabhdi MukU-joddha Dal. a front of BNP. announced that they would lay siege to the Press tlub and punish journalists . fpr certain distorted' news items about two ministers. The siege never took place.
On May Day. The Daily Star photographer Amr a it Hossain was stabbed tn the* city when miscreants tried to forcefully take his motorbike. He was rushed to hospital. Rajshahi Metropolitan Magis-
trate warded bail to Ra|shahf correspondent Subrata Ku mar of AJker Kagoj A BNP leader had pressed charges against the paper on April 19 for tarnishing his Image On May 17, Din Mohammed Bhuiyan, editor of Ganaja garon was arrested under the Special Powers Act for selling allotted newsprint In the black market. He was re leased on June 29. Closure due to mechanical trouble at the country’s lone newsprint mill on May 15 plunged the newspaper industry Intq uncertainty. Janakantha protested at the government dropping its name from the list of newsprint allotters. And on May 19. newspaper owners in Khulna protested the government allotment of newsprint to papers of Dhaka. Chittagong and Rajahahi only. And in the dis putes between the two rival bodies of the split Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), arrest warrants were issued against General Secretary Amanullah Kabir and former Treasure Sajjad Quadir for defalcaUon of the union's funds. On May 22. damage suits were set aside against 14 journalists by the MaMtrates Court in Pabna. The publisher of Sangram died during the case.
The government an-
nounced Fifth Wage Board for Journalists and employees of the newspaper Industry on June 7. On Juns 14 the court issued a stay order on the registration of the Glas Kamal-Amanullah Kabir faction of BFUJ Helal Uddin. SirajganJ correspondent of Bhorer Kagoj. was picked up by police, having annoyed Jamaal and the local administration with his reports. He was released after 96 days. Journalists observed Repression Day. marking the second anniversary of police attack on Journalists on June 21. 1992
Mohammed Sarwarul Alam Noman Mymensingh Correspondent of Bhorer Kagoj and also local president of Chhatra League, was killed In a clash between rival splinter groups at Mymensingh Agri cultural University on July 15.On July 22. the editor and a reporter of Weekly Mancht-tra were released on bail after being arrested on defamation charges brought about by an officer of the Road A Highways Depart ment. On July 30 Farhad Mazhar. Executive Director of Ubining and editor of the fortnightly Chlnta. was detained under the Special Powers Act for an article supporting the Ansar rebellion of December 94. He was
later released on August 28 On July 30 allegedly false cases were brought against Arif Islam editor of Chittagong s Daily Life, for annoy ing police with stories about law and order in the port city On the same day Add! tional Attorney General Abdul Wadud Khandker served legal notice on the editor of AJker Kagoj for publishing news which undermined his status and prestige” And a case was filed against the Editor of Janakantha for a story accusing Narcotics and Liquor Department officials of involvement tn drug smuggling. -
In August newspaper offices and the local press club in Dinajpur were attacked and set on fire by angry mobs following the rape and killing of a young girl Yasmin while in police custody. The people accused the local press of distorting the facts. On August 5. hooligans attacked the office of the Metropolitan Union of Journalists in Ohit-tagong. On August 14. Asim Bose, crime reporter of Jes-sore s Daily Runner, was stabbed The paper was vocal about cross-border smuggling. And on August 28 hoodlums attacked the Bangladesh Photo Journalists Association office in Dhaka, injuring The Daily Star's photo journalist Anisur Rahman.
On September 2. Dinajpur journalists observed a pendown strike demanding judicial probe Into attack on four newspaper offices and Dinajpur Press Club. At midnight on September 15 two bombs were blasted in front pf Banglar Banl in downtown bhaka
Rivalry between the two owner-brothers if Ittefaq led to a gun battle within the newspaper office, resulting in the death of one and Injury of three on October 1. A case was filed by Labour Minister Lt Gen (retd) Mir Shawkat All against the editors of Banglabazar Patrika. Ittefaq, Banglar Bant and Datnik Ru pall, for publishing a statement of social activist Haji Mohammed Selim. In Pabna. four journalists were sent to Jail on October 5. following a. defamation case brought about by local union parishad chairman for reports on h|s selling relief goods in the back market. After papers published pictures of lung!
clad officers staying back in office on the eve of hartals, the Home Ministry issued a circular on October 16 banning entrance of news photographers into the secretariat.
On November 18, during his concluding speech in the parliament, the Speaker rebuked newsmen for publishing imaginary news about statements made In the House. The parliamentary secretariat, though, had not sent any rejoinder to any news item during the four and a half years of the parliament. Journalists and newspaper employees Stopped work for three hours on November 19. demanding implementation of the Fifth Wage Board And on November 23. the Election Commission urged the state-controlled media to provide balanced news coverage of all political parties participating in the parliamentary polls. On November 24. BNP activists in Bhola brick-batted the Banglar Kantha office and burnt copies of the paper for publishing motivated and distorted' information about the ruling party.
Bombs were hurled at the residence of Parveen Anwar, correspondent of Worldwide Television Network in Dhaka on December 11. No one was hurt. On December 19. miscreants attacked Chittagong correspondent of Bhorer Kagof for refusing to publish a certain report. Bulbul Ahmed, photojournalist of The Independent was assaulted while passing a procession of Shibir In Dhaka on December 16. Victory Day.
A 21-member central action council was formed at a Joint meeting of the Federal Union of Journalists. Press Workers Federation. Newspaper Employes Federation and Dhaka Union of Journalists on December 23. The council was formed to press the demand for a full-fledged fifth wage-board for Journalists. press employees and workers. A newspaper strike was announced for December 27 in this connection.
Despite all sufferings, the scribes ended the year on a note of hope, looking forward to the new year bringing along a much deserved hike In wages.