An exiled Bangladeshi journalist named Farid Alam, now residing in New York, was attacked and harassed on September 22, 2021 by several Bangladesh ruling party political activists during a press conference.
Another exiled Bangladeshi journalist, Kanak Sarwar, who also now resides in New York and is a member of the Advisory Board of The Coalition for Human Rights and Democracy in Bangladesh, was also the target of attacks. His effigy was set on fire in the Bangladeshi city of Bhola by the same ruling party workers.
The Coalition for Human Rights and Democracy in Bangladesh (CHRD Bangladesh) has been alarmed and saddened by these unfortunate incidents. CHRD Bangladesh strongly condemns these attacks and mistreatment of Bangladeshi journalists in Bangladesh and in the United States by ruling party workers.
This is very tragically a time when journalists and press freedom are both in tremendous peril globally and attacks on members of the press who dare to stand up for the truth are not uncommon. However, Bangladesh has seen a very concerning and considerable number of attacks on press freedom and its advocates over the years, particularly since the government of Sheikh Hasina has been in power (since 2009).
Harassment of the journalists
Mr. Farid Alam is a seasoned reporter based in New York and works for the television network, MCN. At a press conference, Mr. Alam asked some questions regarding the visiting Prime Minister’s delegation to the United States. The Press and Publication Secretary of the ruling Awami League and a member of Sheikh Hasina’s official delegation Abdus Sobhan Golap was answering questions at the press conference held at Queens Place, New York. Mr. Alam asked why the Bangladeshi Prime Minister is visiting New York for the Untied Nations General Assembly with a delegation of 141 members, particularly during a global pandemic. He referred to other countries whose delegations are much smaller in size and some heads of state who even preferred to not travel and chose to participate virtually. Mr. Alam asked what would be the outcome of such a visit?
He was immediately physically attacked by the leader of the Awami League. The Bangladesh Awami League thus operates on the notions that it can control free speech and freedom of the press (which formulate the 1st Amendment of the United States Constitution, thus signifying their utmost importance in the United States) just as it does in Bangladesh.
Dr. Kanak Sarwar is also a very prominent journalist with a background in television which dates back 10 years. He is currently working towards the restoration of democracy, human rights and press freedom in Bangladesh.
In 2015, when Mr. Sarwar was working for the Bangladeshi network ETV and still residing in Bangladesh, he was arrested, imprisoned and charged with sedition. At present, he produces a very well known political discussion program on YouTube and Facebook, in which he primarily interviews government critics. This undoubtedly embarrasses and enrages the Bangladesh government.
It is said that had Mr. Sarwar been in Bangladesh currently, he would have faced serious charges, perhaps been imprisoned and his program banned. The Bangladesh government has issued a ruling from the High Court blocking Mr. Sarwrar’s channels, called Kanak Sarwar News. The allegations are that the channel in question publishes “anti-state distorted content”.
Bangladesh has had very concerning issues with press freedom, very often leading to enforced disappearances, unlawful imprisonment, torture and extrajudicial killings, just to name a few.
It is preposterous that in a nation known as The People’s Republic of Bangladesh such draconian measures have been become the new normal. For the ruling party of Bangladesh to engage in such undemocratic, cruel and unusual treatment of members of the press corps in the United States is completely inadmissible and objectionable.
CHRD Bangladesh wholeheartedly condemns the unlawful, authoritarian acts committed by the Bangladesh ruling party.