22 journalists receive death threats from Islamist zealots
Our Correspondents
Twenty-two journalists -- 16 based in Sylhet, five in Barguna and one in Dhaka --received death threats apparently from Islamist militants yesterday. In the northeastern city of Sylhet, 17 journalists including one based in Dhaka received separate letters containing copies of a death threat yesterday from unknown source. The letters distributed by the divisional headquarters' main post office asked the recipients to get ready to face death within a month. The threat under the heading 'Beware: Death Notice' reads, "You journalists, who love the British high commissioner, Suranjit Sengupta, Mayor Badruddin Ahmed Kamran and the shrine [of Hajrat Shahjalal], are the enemies of Islam. Get ready -- you will have to die within a month." A smoking gun is drawn below the message. Prothom Alo Sylhet Bureau Chief Ahmed Noor, Crime Reporter Parvez Khan and District Correspondent Partha Sarathi Das received the threat at around 1:30pm. The rest of the recipients include Jugantar Sylhet Bureau Chief Liakat Shah Faridi, Sangbad Staff Reporter Al Azad, Bangla Bazar Patrika Bureau Chief Ajoy Pal, Ajker Kagoj Bureau Chief Kamkamur Razzak Runu and Janakhantha Staff Reporter Salam Mashrur. Shyamol Sylhet Editor Chowdhury Mumtaj Ahmed, News Editor Abdul Mukit and Staff Reporter Motiul Bari Khuhrshed, Jugobheri Editor-in-Charge Aziz Ahmed Selim, News Editor Tapash Dash Purokayastho, Ajker Kagoj District Correspondent Apurbo Dhar, Bhorer Kagoj District Correspondent Bappa Ghose Chowdhury and Manavjamin Staff Reporter MA Rahim also received copies of the same threat. The 17th recipient, Ikhtiar Uddin works for Bhorer Kagoj at its Dhaka office. BARGUNA In the southern district of Barguna, Islamist zealots yesterday sent a death letter to Prothom Alo District Correspondent M Jasim Uddin for exposing their military training and the recent arrest of 33 militants during a drill. The letter carried a small piece of burial cloth. The terrorists also mentioned the names of Ittefaq Barguna Correspondent Abdul Alim Himu, Jugantar Corespondent Anwar Hossain Monwar, Sangbad Correspondent Chittyaranjan Shil and Ajker Kagoj Correspondent Hasanur Rahman Jhantu and threatened with similar consequences if they continue acting against their interests. All five of them filed general diary with Barguna police station. Local journalists also took out a protest rally in the town yesterday.
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