|
Bangladeshi authorities must immediately drop terrorism charges against veteran journalist Anis Alamgir, release him unconditionally, and stop targeting the press with national security offenses, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said Wednesday.
On December 15, police opened an investigation against Alamgir and three other individuals under Bangladesh's Anti Terrorism Act accusing the suspects of spreading propaganda in talk shows and social media posts, and conspiring to rehabilitate the banned Awami League party, according to multiple news reports. "Using a counterterrorism law to detain a journalist months before a landmark election raises serious concerns about the interim government's commitment to press freedom, a pillar of democracy," said CPJ Asia-Pacific Program Coordinator Kunal Majumder. "Authorities in Bangladesh must immediately release senior journalist Anis Alamgir and stop targeting members of the press for reporting views that are critical of the government." Alamgir, a former war correspondent who covered conflicts in Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, was arrested by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at a gym in the capital on December 14. The arrest followed a complaint from an individual who identified himself as an organizer of a protest movement that began in July last year and led to the resignation of long-serving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the banishment of the Awami League. The interim administration, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has governed the country since August 2024. Bangladesh's next national elections will be held on February 12. Alamgir could face a maximum punishment of life imprisonment and a substantial fine if convicted under Bangladesh's Anti-Terrorism Act. CPJ was unable to determine which provisions of the Act he was charged under because it could not obtain a copy of the First Information Report, which formally opens an investigation. A Dhaka magistrate on December 15 granted police a five-day remand to question Alamgir in connection with the case. Alamgir has decades of experience in print and broadcast media. More recently, he has used social media and regular television appearances to comment on national politics, security issues, and media freedom in Bangladesh. CPJ has documented sharp rise in attacks against journalists in Bangladesh, including at least 17 journalists assaulted in February 2025 alone. It has also reported multiple arrests and detentions under security-related laws. Dhaka Metropolitan Police did not immediately respond to CPJ's emailed request for comment. (ANI)
|
