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Mixed bag over CPJ observation

Govt rejects statement as 'motivated'

JULFIKAR ALI MANIK
The statement of the New Yorkbased media watchdog the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), terming Bangladesh the 'most violent country in Asia for newsmen', triggered mixed reactions among the government and journalists who agreed journalists in Bangladesh are indeed exposed to high risks.
The government and the leaders of pro-government journalists' unions, aggrieved at the report, questioned the rationale for CPJ's observation as it did not cite how such a conclusion was made.
A number of leaders of proopposition journalists' unions, on the other hand, found the CPJ comment objective.
The information ministry yesterday dismissed the CPJ statement as 'totally motivated' and 'biased' as it did not reflect the realities. It also alleged the conclusion was reached without collecting the data of other Asian countries.
"The present democratic government never took any step against any journalist for doing journalism or any paper for publishing any news. Rather, it has instructed deputy commissioners and superintendent of police to ensure security for the journalists so that they can carry out their responsibilities safely," it noted. "The government has not forgiven anyone who attacked journalists and will not do so."
Eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain however believes the CPJ statement reflects nothing but the truth. "They have come here and talked to many journalists and others. They have gathered information on killing and repression of all journalists of various times -- from the attack on Tipu Sultan to the killing of Manik Chandra Saha."
The CPJ leaders during their visit watched how the activists of ruling BNP's student front Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal attacked journalists at Dhaka University while the students protested the attempt on eminent writer Humayun Azad's life, he added.
"The government should instruct the law enforcers not to charge batons on the journalists and when the ruling party activists attack them, the police should protect them," Kamal added. "In the Dhaka University incident, the police had the responsibility to protect the journalists."
He noted violence has reached such a height that 'we all know journalists are exposed to serious threats to their life'. "Criminals and terrorists now believe that they have intimidated all by terrorising them. And journalists have become their targets as their reports are exposing their misdeeds."
"The government should hand down exemplary punishment to the criminals and terrorists."
Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, president of the pro-opposition faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) noted, "The CPJ has given its observation on the basis of its interaction with various local journalists upon their visit here. This is not their off-hand remark. These are based on their findings and observations."
"We would expect the government to take measures to ensure the security for journalists. Otherwise, Bangladesh will continue to remain as the most violent Asian nation for the press and the situation will only worsen," he added.
Ruhul Amin Gazi, secretary general of the pro-government faction of the BFUJ noted, "There is no doubt that journalists of Bangladesh are exposed to high professional risks. But I don't agree with the way the CPJ drew its conclusion. Its sweeping remark is partially untrue although repression and murder of journalists are indeed taking place in the country."
He however was quick to point an accusing finger at the CPJ. "The CPJ itself is not fair. It did not condemn the killing of journalists in Iraq. The CPJ should be fair in the first place."
Altaf Mahmud, president of the pro-opposition grouping of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) pointed out that the CPJ statement only reflected the insecurity of Bangladeshi journalists. "We will ask the government not to reject CPJ's remarks just like the other issues and instead to address the situation."
President of the pro-government DUJ faction Elahi Newaj Khan questioned, "How did the CPJ conclude that Bangladesh is the worst among the Asian countries as far as the repression of journalists is concerned? Has it collected data of other countries?"
He however added, "It's true our journalists are working amid high risks. But the CPJ is working on the basis of a pre-conceived notion and we can smell politics in it.”