"I have been surprised and shocked by a series of articles in the daily Amar Desh and news reports in the two TV channels namely ntv and Rtv. Mosaddek Ali Falu owns all these three media outlets, fully or partly.

In these reports, I was accused of using the influence of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star to increase my personal wealth and illegally occupying land in different areas.

Example was cited about the purchase of a land near Farmgate by Mediaworld, owning company of The Daily Star. These reports also focused on W Rahman Jute Mill, an inherited family property that I own but a small share.

All the above reports are either false, distorted or presented in ways where facts have been twisted to suit the purpose of maligning me. I strongly condemn these unfounded, ill-motivated and misleading news items. It may be noted here that no reference has been made in the said reports about my acquiring any land anywhere in the country, except the land purchased by Mediaworld. The land in question was purchased by Mediaworld in accordance with due formalities. A detailed rejoinder was sent on December 13 to Amar Desh, ntv and Rtv in this regard by The Daily Star and Mediaworld and it was published in The Daily Star and Prothom Alo on December 14. The rejoinder exposed explicitly the false allegations about the land purchase. Prothom Alo also sent its own rejoinder on December 13 to Amar Desh, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, proving the falsity of the allegations about my using the influence on the paper for personal gain.

Today, I am issuing my own rejoinder against the above false and distorted reports involving my businesses and inherited property.

W Rahman Jute Mills is an inherited "extended family" property in which I have a mere 3.8 percent shares. The remaining shares are held by 40 other private shareholders. The Government of Bangladesh owns 49 percent of the shares. W. Rahman Jute Mills, like the rest of the composite jute industry, is a sick unit. Despite the severe financial constraints, W. Rahman Jute Mills has paid and is continuing to pay employees dues regularly within the parameters of an agreement reached between the management and employees in April 2003.

Regarding the allegation of false declaration for import of refrigerator components in January 2004, I would like to state that these charges were false and brought about at the instigation of a former powerful minister, triggered by some reports in Prothom Alo and The Daily Star concerning his son's business activities. Subsequently, our position was vindicated by the Hon'ble High Court which ordered release of the goods in question. This was an incident of 2004 and has been deliberately written again to malign my reputation.

I reiterate my surprise and outrage at the sustained attack on my reputation and goodwill by Amar Desh, ntv and Rtv. The minimum journalistic ethics of allowing me a response or comment in the original reports was not observed. No reporters from any of the above three media outlets bothered to contact me to verify the facts or take my version of the story. It can only be compared with the worst form of yellow journalism that is practiced anywhere.

It is obvious that the attack was triggered by a report on Mosaddek Ali Falu in Prothom Alo on December 4. (Comments of both Mr Falu and his business associate Enayetur Rahman's were carried in the report). It may be noted that Mr Falu's own rejoinder was duly published in the Prothom Alo on December 5. Even after that if Mr Falu felt aggrieved he could have made reports about the paper itself or he could have taken recourse of the law, which would have been the normal course of action.

Without going for either recourse, Mr. Falu's media outlets went for a freewheeling false and vicious attack on my person and on my business. This was done perhaps in the misplaced hope that I will influence Prothom Alo and The Daily Star to desist them from further exposing activities of people involved in corruption using political power. This is not how these papers have operated in the past nor will they do so in future.

I would like to unequivocally state that both The Daily Star and Prothom Alo enjoy total editorial freedom for which they have gained the trust of millions of their readers. I will do everything, as I have done in the past, to make that editorial freedom even stronger. These two papers have gained public respect for their crusading role in exposing the corrupt elements in the society. They will carry on their task regardless of any attempt at intimidation or threat.

I would like to humbly state that my family has been in business for more than 100 years, beginning in 1885, and by the grace of Allah, I have established a modest reputation as an ethical businessman who has never used any influence by any government or any political party, ever."