Call to free Rozina gets louder

Journalist leaders yesterday slammed the health ministry, demanding punishment of its officials who harassed Prothom Alo's investigative reporter Rozina Islam, who was arrested on Monday in a case filed under the Official Secrets Act, and called for her unconditional release.

Meanwhile Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) declared Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, the deputy minister for education, "persona non grata" at DRU, following his controversial Facebook post, containing a video, defaming the senior journalist.

At a protest rally on the DRU premises, its general secretary Mashiur Rahman drew attention to that and said the deputy education minister had lashed out at journalists. "He will not be able to attend any programme of DRU, we are declaring him unwelcome," he said.

He also said DRU will not rent out their conference rooms to any event that has Mohibul Hasan as a guest.

Criticising and condemning the arrest, journalists yesterday threatened to continue the protests until Rozina is released.

Journalists from different platforms in the capital held human chains and protest rallies at Jatiya Press Club and DRU.

DRU also demanded formation of a judicial committee to probe into the incident.

Leaders of the group will protest today wearing black clothes as the senior journalist was not granted bail. DRU president Mursalin Nomani made the announcement at a protest rally at DRU.

He said a judicial inquiry committee should be set up to probe the attack on Rozina Islam and there must be a journalist representative in the committee. "Because those who attacked Rozina Islam will investigate the incident -- that cannot happen."

At press club, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) held a human chain around 11am and placed four-point demand including immediate release of Rozina and punishment of the corrupt syndicate in the health sector.

Their other demands were: withdrawal of false charges against Rozina and enacting laws to protect journalists.

Rozina did not commit any crime, said Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, editor of the Daily Observer and former information adviser to the prime minister.

"Even If I agree with them that she went to steal information -- that information belongs to public. Rozina went there to inform the public with the information that the officials had kept secret," he said.

"When the prime minister passed the Right to Information Act in Parliament in 2009, then this Official Secrets Act was in conflict with the Act. It cannot exist," he added.

He said journalist organisations will announce programmes on Saturday -- not only for Rozina's release, but also for the freedom of the press, protection of journalists and the freedom of expression.

Farida Yasmin, president of Jatiya Press Club, said the kind of torture inflicted on Rozina could not happen in a civilised country.

She said the health ministry cannot detain any journalist in this way. An impartial inquiry committee should be set up, with journalist representatives, but no one from the health ministry, she added.

DUJ President Quddus Afrad said, "An inquiry committee has been formed with a joint secretary to investigate the allegations against the additional secretary. It's ridiculous."

Addressing the officials of the secretariat, he said, "You are the ones to violate the Official Secrets Act. Now you're talking about files. You keep secret files in the room of an APS; you are not suitable for that position either."

Besides Dhaka, journalists from across the country held protests, demanding immediate release of Rozina, report our local correspondents.

They formed human chains and held rallies in front of their respective press clubs in Chattogram, Noakhali, Teknaf, Narayanfanj, Gazipur, Manikganj, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Nilphamari, Joypurhat, Thakurgaon, Kurigram, Natore, Saidpur, Pabna and vowed to continue protests until Rozina gets justice.