BFUJ demands ban on Al Jazeera transmission in Bangladesh

Leaders of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) yesterday demanded a ban on the transmission of Qatar-based Al Jazeera television channel in Bangladesh and condemned its "yellow journalism".

BFUJ President Molla Jalal and Secretary General Abdul Majid in a joint statement called upon all journalists of the forum to raise their voices against the anti-Bangladesh conspiracy.

The BFUJ leaders said the TV channel has always been playing a role against Bangladesh, protecting the interest of a particular anti-state quarter and engaged in tarnishing the image of the country abroad.

They said the television channel has allegedly tried to make the war criminals' trial process controversial in the international arena.

The channel created confusion over the number of Liberation War martyrs, claiming the number is only 300,000 to 500,000, they said.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan and Egypt have already banned the transmission of the television channel for its alleged involvement in inciting violence and extremism in these countries, said the BFUJ leaders.

On February 3, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen hinted legal step against Al Jazeera for spreading misinformation through broadcasting its recent "false and fabricated" report against Bangladesh.