Cases against Star editor suggest attack on press freedom

A deluge of lawsuits against The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam on charges of criminal defamation and sedition is an indication of the worsening state of free expression in Bangladesh, said PEN America.

Moreover, Gano Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain said Bangladeshis have already started seeking answers from the government while the world has raised voice over the harassment of Mahfuz Anam.

"The recent slew of charges leveled against Mahfuz Anam illustrates an escalation of the assault on media freedoms in Bangladesh," noted Karin Deutsch Karlekar, director of free expression program at PEN America, in a statement issued on February 18.

"The government and ruling party should cease using criminal defamation and sedition laws to harass the press, and should remove such restrictive statutes from the penal code," it read.

"Bangladesh's democracy will be immeasurably weakened if the media is not able to fulfill its watchdog role and speak truth to power without fear of disproportionate repercussions," it added.

As of Friday, 75 lawsuits have been filed against Mahfuz Anam in 50 districts since February 9. Of the cases, 17 involve pleas for bringing sedition charges against him, while the rest are defamation suits.

The case spree began following a talk show on February 3 where Mahfuz Anam made an introspective remark about a lapse in his editorial judgement in running a few reports, based on information given by the Task Force Interrogation (TFI) cell during the 2007-08 caretaker government tenure, without being able to verify those independently.

Under Bangladeshi law, a charge of criminal defamation carries a prison sentence of up to two years and/or a fine, it said.

Earlier, PEN International and PEN Bangladesh also voiced deep concern over the issue. Founded in 1922, PEN America is an association of 4,300 US writers working to break down barriers to free expression worldwide.

DR KAMAL

"The United Nations and the international community are in favour of media, in favour of the freedom of expression and free thinking. Our constitution has also categorically stated of the freedom of expression," the eminent jurist said.

"Such harassment cannot be tolerated," he told a discussion, "Lessons of Language Movement and imperatives for the student community", organised by Oikyaboddho Chhatra Samaj in the capital's Bangladesh Shishu Kalyan Parishad.

Dr Kamal said people know very well how to teach "corrupt" rulers a lesson when the latter do not hand over power in a peaceful manner.