‘Rozina in jail as she exposed graft’

Demonstrations to demand the immediate release of Prothom Alo journalist Rozina Islam raged on for the fifth day, with different organisations yesterday staging protest rallies, human chains and a token hunger strike.

One of the demonstrations was by Nagorik Somaj, a citizens' platform, which organised a protest rally in front of the National Museum in the evening.

The platform placed a four-point demand including Rozina's release, punishment of those who harassed her and the removal of the health minister and secretary.

"The prime minister should apologise for the mistakes made by her people," said Zafrullah Chowdhury, trustee of Gonoshasthaya Kendra, at the rally.

Rozina wrote reports on irregularities in recruitment of the health ministry and on the minister who remained absent at office, said Asif Nazrul, a professor of the Dhaka University.

"This is the only reason this incident happened," he added.

Convener of Nagorik Oikya Mahmudur Rahman Manna, former Ducsu VP Nurul Haque Nur, and member of Rashtrochinta Advocate Hasnat Quaiyum also spoke at the rally.

Meanwhile, six journalists' associations together demanded Rozina's release at a meeting at the Jatiya Press Club.

The associations are: Dhaka Journalist Union (DUJ), Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Jatiya Press Club, Dhaka Reporters' Unity, Broadcast Journalists' Centre and TV Camera Journalist Association.

The leaders of the organisations will meet with Information Minister Hasan Mahmud, Law Minister Anisul Huq and Awami League General Secretary and Roads and Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today.

"But we hope she will get bail in the meantime," said Kuddus Afrad, president of Dhaka Union of Journalists, while briefing the press after the meeting.

If she does not get bail today, the journalist leaders vowed a tougher movement.

Some bureaucrats have brought the government and the media at loggerheads over the Rozina issue, said Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former information advisor of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was present at the meeting.

"We want to move away from that position. We want to take democracy and the country forward. We want to create an environment for free journalism. Our movement will continue. We will not only release Rozina, we will work together to remove the restrictions that are hindering free media," he said.

The leaders of the BFUJ as well as those of the newly-elected committee of Directors Guild, an organisation of television drama directors, met with the information minister at his Minto Road residence separately yesterday, a day before a Dhaka court's order on the bail petition of Rozina.

"Look at the Rozina Islam issue from a realistic point of view instead of looking at it emotionally," the information ministers told the leaders of the BFUJ.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mahmud alleged that an anti-state quarter is trying to take advantage of the incident involving the Prothom Alo journalist at the health ministry on May 17.

"The Rozina Islam incident has been politicised as the anti-state quarters have become very active in capitalising on it."

He also commented on the statement made by Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

The minister said Khaleda Zia's former deputy press secretary Mushfiqul Fazal Ansari got a reply from an official on overall media by asking a question at the regular press briefing of the UN secretary-general.

"There is an ill-intended effort to conduct a campaign over that reply. The statement of a UN official and the UN's concern is not the same at all."

An investigation is going on to learn how Rozina has collected information in the past, Mahmud added.

'WHAT HAPPENED TO ROZINA IS UNPRECEDENTED'

Speakers in a webinar yesterday titled "Freedom of Press and Public Interest" described what happened to Rozina Islam as "unprecedented" and demanded her immediate release.

The Centre for Governance Studies in association with UK Aid and Asia Foundation organised the webinar.

"Rozina wrote investigative reports in the interest of the country and the people," said Julhas Alam, bureau chief of the Associated Press in Dhaka.

The scope and capacity of investigative journalism in the country are declining, said Zahirul Alam, NTV's head of news.

A variety of social alliances have been formed with the government to ensure journalists do not work independently, he added.

The incident with Rozina Islam was nothing new as journalists were being harassed whenever it hurt the government's interests," said Shoeb Chowdhury, editorial board president of The Asian Age.

"Theft of information may be theft for others but for us, it is a process of information collection," said Shaymal Datta, editor of Bangla daily Bhorer Kagoj.

Public interest cannot be maintained by curtailing the freedom of the media, said Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association.

TOKEN HUNGER STRIKE

Journalists yesterday held a token hunger strike demanding withdrawal of the case against Rozina Islam and her immediate unconditional release.

Sitting in front of Dhaka Reporters' Unity, they demanded punishment of those who assaulted and harassed her at the secretariat.

"Corrupt officials are now teaching us investigative journalism. They want to say writing reports based on their press release is journalism," said Shamima Dola, editor of News Now Bangla.

Executive Editor of Prothom Alo Sajjad Sharif and Associate Editor Anisul Haque attended the strike on behalf of Prothom Alo.

'FORM A NEUTRAL PROBE COMMITTEE'

Dhaka Sub-Editors Council formed a human chain at Jatiya Press Club yesterday demanding a neutral probe committee to investigate the incident at the Secretariat and withdrawal of the case.

The organisation's President Mamun Farazi presided over a programme.

"We hope Rozina will be released unconditionally tomorrow (today). If that does not happen, we don't have any option but for a "no return home" movement. We have no scope to go back," said Molla Jalal, president of a faction of the BFUJ.

Journalists from different districts including Shariatpur and Bagerhat organised human chains.

Gonoforum and the United Communist League of Bangladesh, among political parties, also held programmes.