It will hinder press freedom

Former railways minister Suranjit Sengupta's “threat” to take legal action against some TV channels will obstruct independent journalism and the free flow of information, said Transparency International Bangladesh yesterday.
The TIB, an anti-graft watchdog, demanded that law enforcers provide security for private television channel Rtv's reporter Bayezid Ahmed, who took the interview of whistle-blower Azam Khan on the railway-gate scandal.
The TIB has expressed concern over Suranjit's irritation with the media following the interview in which Azam pointed the finger at Suranjit.
Suranjit's stand is contrary to the institutionalisation of democracy and the government's election pledges, said TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman.
Suranjit's ex-assistant personal secretary Omar Faruk Talukder's driver Azam in the interview said the bribe money, stashed in the microbus he had pulled over at Pilkhana, was being taken to Suranjit's house on April 9.
On October 10, Suranjit at a press conference alleged Azam had been instructed what to say in the interview.
Saying the media was crossing its limits, he threatened to take legal action against some TV channels, including Rtv that aired the interview, and some journalists who “tried to tarnish the image of his clean family”.