Information minister Hasanul Haque Inu on Monday said that eminent editors of 15 national dailies have given statement without knowing about the offence of acting editor of Amar Desh Mahmudur Rahman and two private television channels. Editors of 15 national dailies on Saturday demanded unlocking of the printing press of the daily Amar Desh for continuation of its publication, immediate release of its editor Mahmudur Rahman and re-transmission of Diganta and Islamic television channels.
“Editors of 15 national dailies have testifying on behalf of Mahmudur Rahman and two private TV channels without knowing the true fact. Such statement is harmful for the media and they should refrain from advocating for the release of Mahmudur Rahman and re-transmission of two private TV channels including publication of Amar Desh newspaper in future,” he told reporters at a press briefing at the secretariat to reply the statement given by the eminent 15 editors.
Inu claimed that the media is now enjoying full freedom in the history of the nation.
He further said, the authority of the Daily Amar Desh can publish the newspaper from other press upon legal
permission.
The minister also said the acting editor of the daily, Mahmudur Rahman, was arrested in specific criminal case.
“The daily Amar Desh fuelled anarchy and chaos through publishing controversial news after hacking, defamed religion and published pictures to create unrest,” he said
The government beliefs about the freedom of press, Inu said, adding, “we don’t cancel the declaration of Amar Desh, as we belief in different opinions. Though the printing press of daily Amar Desh is being closed but there is no legal obstacle to publish the paper from other press by obtaining legal permission from the district administration.”
He said actions had been taken against Amar Desh for publishing “tainted information”, falsehood, and publishing reports that hurt religious sentiments.
Mahmudur Rahman had been detained on specific charges, Inu said.
Asked whether the Amar Desh printing press will be reopened before the completion of investigation, the Information Minister said the government would not interfere with the freedom of the press. “Police has recovered some evidence from the premises of Amar Desh printing press on hacking. So, we won’t allow to re-open the printing press of Amar Desh newspaper until completion the investigation,” he further said.
Regarding retransmission of two private channels, the minister said, “we are examining some documents which aired on Islamic and Diganta televisions of Hefazat-e-Bnaldesh’s activities. We will take decision soon in this regard.”
Police on April 11 detained Mahmudur Rahman on charge of sedition and publishing transcripts of an alleged Skype conversation between an International Crimes Tribunal judge and an expatriate Bangladeshi legal expert.
Later that night, police raided the Amar Desh press in the city’s Tejgaon area and sealed it. On the other hand, airing of Diganta Television, which is said to be closed to Jamaat-e-Islami, and pro-BNP Islamic TV were ‘temporarily suspended’ on May 5.
In a joint statement on Saturday, the 15 editors expressed their deep concern over the closure of Amar Desh newspaper’s printing press, repression on its editor Mahmudur Rahman, filling of “harassment cases” against his mother and chairman of Amar Desh Publications Ltd. Mahmuda Begum, and Abul Asad, editor of Dainik Sangram and stopping of Diganta and Islamic TV channels’ transmission.
They described the recent action of the government on media as an “alarming threat” against the mass media and freedom of expression and demanded immediately release of Mahmudur Rahman’s mother Mahmuda Begum and Dainik Sangram’s Editor Abul Asad.
They said: “The arrest of Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman in ICT case, closing down of his newspaper’s printing press and shutting down the transmissions of Diganata and Islamic TV channels are unwarranted and painful. The inevitable consequence of the action of throwing numerous journalists out of work goes against the image of an elected and democratic government.’’
-With The Independent input
