Saturday, August 15, 2009

Army threatens Daily Star correspondent

chtnews.com
News No. 62/2009, June 19, 2009
The army was reported to have threatened Jasim Majumder, Khagrachari district correspondent for The Daily Star, for publishing a report on a protest rally organised by Boroitali villagers against settler attempts to grab their lands.

The rally was held on Wednesday, 17 June, in Khagrachari and the report appeared in the Daily Star on Thursday -- yesterday.

Quoting Jasim Majumder, Hill Women’s Federation leader Rina Dewan told chtnews.com that he was called to the zone headquarters by an army Major who did not disclose his name, and was threatened not to send such reports because these reports are “injurious to the interest of the army”.

“The Major asked me why I, being myself a Bengali, write against the interest of the Bengali people.” Ms Dewan quoted Jasim as telling her.

“But I told the Major that I am writing the truths, that I have written (the report) after verifying the allegation of the Boroitali people to be true.” Jasim was quoted as saying.

“But I am not afraid of the army threats.”