Dhaka Bureau: Awami League Information and Research Secretary Dr. Salim Mahmud said the Bangladesh government did not take legal action against Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman for ‘intimidating journalists’. This case has been filed in the interests of the country’s constitution, law, state security, journalistic principles, and public order. Those foreign journalists may not know the past history of Bangladesh. The editor who is being talked about to intimidate Bangladesh was once active in intimidating the state.
He said this in a statement on Friday in view of the statement of “Reporters Without Borders,” an organization of journalists, due to the case against the editor of Prothom Alo, Motiur Rahman.
Editor Dr. Salim Mahmud said in a statement that the editor who is being threatened in Bangladesh was once active in intimidating the state. Wanted to empty Bangladesh of political leadership and politics. In his own name, Falao wrote in his newspaper, ‘Two leaders must be removed’. We do not know of any newspaper editor in any democratic country in the world playing such a role. He has not only conspired against politicians or against politics; he has conspired against the supreme law of the land and the constitution, which reflect the sacred will of the people. He conspired to keep unconstitutional forces in power by blocking the way for constitutional rule. If their conspiracy had been successful, then we cannot say very precisely what would have happened to the fate of Bangladesh today. But this much can be imagined: if the conspiracy of Matiur Rahman to hand over the state to extra-constitutional forces had succeeded, Bangladesh would have become a fragile state like Pakistan.
He asked Reporters Without Borders whether such activities of an editor to sustain unconstitutional power in a democratic regime fall within the principles of independent journalism.
Dr. Salim Mahmud said, Giving a child a bribe of 10 rupees to present a news item in his name, again on Independence Day, is contempt and mockery of freedom! Is this not a crime? Are all journalists above the law? Can all crimes be forgiven? In all the civilized countries of the world, there is considerable sensitivity in the law regarding children’s rights and child safety. Exploiting or illegally using a child for money is an unforgivable and punishable offense. Such crimes threaten the lives of children. Prothom Alo wants to make news by using a child studying in class one for their own benefit. This is a heinous crime. Our question to those foreign journalists who have made statements is: what would they have done if a child had been exploited in this way in their own country?
He also said that Reporters Without Borders expressed concern about the freedom of the press. I would tell them that freedom of the press is one of the few elements necessary to establish the rule of law in a democratic system. Other elements are the separation of state powers, equal rights for all in the eyes of the law and equal applicability of the law in all cases, independence of the judiciary, the establishment of fundamental human rights, the protection of fundamental and civil rights, a system of elections to the legislature and every level of government, etc. That is, where freedom of the press is one of the many elements of the rule of law, the basic foundation of the rule of law cannot be violated in the name of freedom of the press. A case has been filed against Prothom Alo’s editor following the provision of equal rights for all in the eyes of the law and equal applicability of the law in all cases.
He said that ‘no one is above the law; as it is one of the cornerstones of the rule of law, this principle is of great importance in making the freedom of the press truly effective and sustainable. Recently, there was a case against Nobel laureate journalist Maria Ressa in the Philippines. He has appeared in court numerous times and faced trial in that case. No one can be prosecuted because of the profession of journalism; it is against the democratic system and the rule of law.
Dr. Salim Mahmud said that Prothom Alo and its editor talk about transparency and accountability. While the chairman of Grameen Telecom, Dr. Yunus, illegally diverted thousands of rupees from Grameen Telecom, a non-profit and charitable organization, and later smuggled it abroad and looted Grameen Telecom massively, such information has recently been published in other media. Prothom Alo has no words on this matter. They are completely silent on this matter. That is, if someone on their side commits corruption, money laundering, and looting, they silently support the corrupt.
This leader of the Awami League said that Reporters Without Borders has said that they are currently demanding the withdrawal of the case filed against Prothom Alo, an editor and reporter. Such statements are against the law and justice system of any civilized country. No one is above the law in any democratic country. If any complaint is raised against anyone, it has to be settled according to the law. The law moves at its own pace. Freeing someone from charges outside of the law is not the goal of independent journalism but is contrary to it. Our question to those foreign journalists who made this statement is: are journalists above the law in their own countries?
Dr. Salim Mahmud said that on our independence day on March 26, a child’s quote was written in Prothom Alo: ‘If you don’t get rice in your stomach, what can you do with independence? Such disdainful and sarcastic comments on Independence Day about the freedom of Bangladesh won by the blood of 30 lakh martyrs have hurt the entire nation. Such comments in a national daily amount to insulting the Bengali nation and the Bangladesh state. The state is being attacked in the name of press freedom. A perpetrator of such a crime cannot be above the law. Every person who commits a crime must face the law.
