Jatiya Party lawmaker

Nasim Osman yesterday warned of reprisals

over reports critical of his brother Shamim Osman

appearing in the Bangla daily Prothom Alo. Shamim Osman is a mayoral candidate in the Narayanganj City Corporation polls.

If necessary, said the infuriated JP lawmaker, he would lead thousands of people from Narayanganj to Dhaka to teach Matiur Rahman, the Prothom Alo editor, a good lesson. Nasim Osman made the threat at a press briefing at the Narayanganj Press Club, reports our Narayanganj correspondent.

Meanwhile, the Jatiya Party has said it does not endorse such aggressive remarks from its parliamentarian about the national daily in question.

Nasim, lawmaker for Narayanganj-5 constituency, said the Bangla daily and some other like-minded print and electronic media had been hatching a conspiracy against his sibling over the elections scheduled forOctober30.

He alleged that the Prothom Alo editor and some of his people had intentionally been publishing what he called false reports to damage the reputation of his brother, a former lawmaker of the ruling Awami League.

Claiming that the daily was established through defrauding money from the Indian separatist group Ulfa (United Liberation Front of Asom), Nasim said it financed local terrorist organisations to make the country a safe haven for terrorism.

“The Prothom Alo was involved in the August 21 grenade attack on Sheikh Hasina's rally and it also came up with the minus-two

formulae and is an actor of 1/11,” an angry Nasim added.

Nasim said the editor had published an article in his daily in favour of forcing Hasina and Khaleda out of the country during the period of the last interim government.

He went on to say that the vernacular daily could do anything harmftil as it had published a cartoon of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) and later sought pardon over the incident.

Accusing Selina Hayat Ivy of filling in canals when she was mayor of the nowdefunct Narayanganj municipality, Nasim said she had misappropriated money while allocating shops in a market.

Highlighting various development works undertaken by himself and his brother, he assured locals of establishing a modern hospital and a private university in Narayanganj soon.

“Shamim Osman removed a 200-year-old brothel from Narayanganj in the greater interest of the people. Now, this daily is in favour of re-establishing the brothel,” Nasim alleged.

At the news conference, Nasim also stood by his other brother, Selim Osman, saying that Selim had been elected president of BKMEA, Narayanganj Chamber and Commerce and Narayanganj Club unopposed.

Citing examples of his landslide victory at the 2008 general election despite propaganda by the Prothom Alo against him, a confident Nasim hoped that his brother would win the may-oral poll defying all conspiracies and yellow journalism

by the daily.

Nasim, however, invited all national and international journalists to visit Narayanganj on election day to cover the voting.

He brushed aside all allegations of terrorist activities, land grabbing, control over all sand and garment by-products businesses and use of muscle power levelled against him and his two brothers.

It may be noted that on October 7, the Prothom Alo published a news story tided "Kingdom of three Osmans in Narayanganj”.

NASIM FACES MUSIC

The Jatiya Party yesterday criticised its lawmaker Nasim Osman for threatening the Prothom Alo.

Talking to The Daily Star over telephone, the party's Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader and Presidium Member Ziauddin Ahmed said the Jatiya Party did not endorse any violent behaviour or aggressive comments on the part of any of its leaders.

Ruhul Amin Hawlader said, “We never support the idea that a Jatiya Party MP will speak in such a way. We need to think about the matter.

"The Jatiya Party believes in the freedom of the media. We do not expect that any of our leaders will threaten a newspaper for its reports,” Hawlader said, adding that the party also expects objective journalism from the media.

Ziauddin Ahmed said, “We believe in democracy and democracy means tolerance. We don't expect any statement from any of our party leaders which violates democratic values.”