Khaleda condemns Inqilab raid

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia today expressed concern and condemned police raid at the daily Inqilab office and sealing off the printing press and arrest of three journalists.

In a statement this evening, Khaleda said, “The government has sealed off the press with an intention to disrupt the publication of the newspaper.”

Detectives last night raided the office of the Bangla daily and picked up three journalists, sealed off the press, plate-making and server rooms, and seized three computers.

The move came hours after the law enforcers filed a case against the paper's editor, publisher, chief reporter and a reporter for publishing “baseless” news that Indian forces took part in operations in Satkhira ahead of the January 5 polls.

In the statement, the BNP chief demanded that the authorities open the all “closed” media houses including the Bangla daily Amar Desh, Channel 1, Diganta and Islamic television stations.

She also called for unconditional release of all journalists including Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman.

Who were picked up last night are News Editor Rabiullah Rabi, Deputy Chief Reporter Rafiq Mohammad and Diplomatic Correspondent Ahmed Atique.

The newspaper said a team of around 25 policemen raided the office inside the seven-storey Inqilab building on RK Mission Road around 8:00pm and left at 10:15pm with the journalists.

Sub-Inspector Jahangir Alam had lodged the case with Wari Police Station around 2:00pm yesterday under the Information, Communication and Technology Act, and under the Penal Code accusing Editor AMM Bahauddin and the three others.

According to a statement issued by the DMP media cell last night, the newspaper on its website and its print edition yesterday published a “baseless” report that Indian forces had helped in the joint forces' operations in Satkhira to suppress the movement for a caretaker government.