BOYCOTT BANGLADESH

Press Release

Within one month of attack on the office of Weekly Blitz by the thugs belonging to the ruling party in Bangladesh, an Islamist and anti Semitic terrorist based in United Arab Emirates [UAE], gave life threats on Blitz editor Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury.

In an email sent on Thursday, March 26, 2009 2:13 PM the terrorist named Monirul Islam [Phone number +971-50-7515470] wrote, “What would you know about inter-faith dialogue…you are just snake who rattles his tail to the tune of his masters in Vatican/Saudi King/and the Zionist.

“Playing with fire, your days are just numbered I suppose! Remember a great writer [?] Humanyun Azad wrote a book Pak Sarjamin Sad-e bad, and you know how he died in Germany?”

Earlier the same terrorist sent an email to the Weekly Blitz on Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 4:19 PM stating, “I have my doubts that you come from a good Muslim family although your name suggests that you may be a Muslim; but interestingly your activities are such that you are worse than the Jews. I hope you have some Idea about Quran…it is our holy book.”

He continued to write, “What kind of freedom of expression you are talking about? Where did you learn about it? What is your definition of freedom of expression? Do not bullshit…govt. did not make any move to suffocate media….why you are resorting to lies like your sister Sunita Paul?”

It may be mentioned here that, Sunita Paul is a foreign journalist, who regularly writes for Weekly Blitz. Sunita Paul wrote a number of articles after the February 25-26 Massacre inside Bangladesh Rifles headquarters exposing the conspiracy behind brutal murder of officers of Bangladesh Armed Forces.

Monirul Islam further wrote in the email, “Explain to me what is interfaith dialogue? Why you want us to have relation with Jerusalem? Look, do not play with fire.”

The terrorist introduced himself to be a “childhood friend of Barrister Tania Amir”. It may be mentioned here that, Tania Amir is an activist of Bangladesh Awami League, who has several controversies related to her profession, including cheating foreign client with false promises. She also has relations with several notorious political thugs in Bangladesh, mostly belonging to Bangladesh Awami League.

Terrorist Monirul Islam questioned eminent writer Humayun Azad, who died in Germany. Earlier he was attacked by Islamists in Dhaka because of publishing a book titled ‘Pak Sarjamin Sad-e bad’.

The latest life threat from UAE based Islamist terrorist Monirul Islam came just in a month of attack on the office of Weekly Blitz. On February 22, 2009, 35-40 armed terrorists belonging to the ruling party, led by Ruhul Amin and co-led by Shamim from DGFI [Directorate General of Forces Intelligence] attacked the office of Blitz newspaper. They instructed the caretaker named Anwar of the commercial center named Skylark Point [where the Blitz office is located] to lock the outside gate and continued their notorious actions in the broad day light for hours in presence of members of law enforcing and various intelligence agencies.

Despite lodging of a case more than 5 days back [Case No. 65, under section 143, 448, 323, 342, 384, 380, 427 and 506], members of law enforcing agencies in Bangladesh are showing extreme reluctance in investigating the case. Investigation officer [IO] of the case is putting indirect suggestions on the Weekly Blitz editor for withdrawing the complaint, instead of investigating the matter and taking any legal steps against the perpetrators. The IO said they have specific instruction of neither investigating the case nor arresting anyone as the accused are from the ruling party.

By: Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury

Armed hooligans chased the car of Dhaka’s front ranking editor, Nurul Kabir, couple of days back and tried to stop the vehicle at a highway connecting the international airport. What was the motive behind? Many people may argue the matter as mere actions of some criminals, but, my own experience says something else. This was a clean case of state patronized terror!

Now, let me bring the case of attack on me and my newspaper office 14 days back. A group of thugs claiming to be ruling party activists being co-led by one Shamim, claiming to be an officer of DGFI [Forces Intelligence], attacked my office on February 22, 2009 at 10:00 am in the morning in broad-day-light. They assaulted me and snatched my laptop computer and smashed an autographed portrait of US Congressman Mark Steven Kirk, which was on display in my chamber. With this looted laptop, I have lost two extremely valuable manuscripts of my books, one titled ‘Inside Madrassa’ and another - ‘Reportage’.

Inside Madrassa is a book detailing Jihadist training in Madrassa, Wahabbi indoctrination and brainwashing of Muslim people in killing Jews and Christians. I had to work almost 4 years to collect various facts and documents for this book.

Why the attackers were particularly angry with the portrait of US Congressman? Why they looted my laptop, while there had been many other valuable items in my office? The reply is possibly understandable by my readers.

I lodged a case on the same day with Paltan Police Station after the incident. Police is extremely reluctant in taking any action in this regard. Investigation officer of the case told me that, some influential figures in the government are involved behind this incident which stops them from proceeding with any actions.

He said, “The matter is a result of deep rooted preparation”.

Now, let me bring here, one more angle of the entire notoriety. I brought the matter of Shamim, who claimed to be an officer of DGFI. Unofficially I was told that, DGFI did not send anyone to my office for attack, nor there any officer in that name. It may be mentioned here that, Shamim claimed himself to be an officer of DGFI not only while assaulting me but he made this claim even in presence of some officers of Paltan Police Station and other intelligence agencies. None ever dared to challenge this.

It should also be mentioned here that, almost the entire episode of terrorist actions in my office took place in presence of police from Paltan Police Station, and none of the members of the law enforcing agencies ever challenged such notoriety.

Written requests were sent to DGFI to investigate the case of Shamim. But, surprisingly, there is complete silence! Why? Any special reason, which I may have not been able to realize yet? Was Shamim in fact an officer of DGFI sent to my office to assists the attackers in their illegal actions? Why the Forces Intelligence is showing reluctance in investigating this extremely sensitive issue?

Fourteen days have already passed. There is neither any action from the police in arresting the perpetrators, nor there is any initiative from DGFI in finding out the ‘Shamim’ mystery. By now, I am having a sense of being a subject of state patronized terror. Bangladesh government must be treating me as a friend of Jews and Christians and an ‘enemy of the country’ for confronting radical Islam. In such case, shall I raise a plain question to the government as to whether we are now entering the era of being Talibalized? Someone in the government and DGFI must address this issue and come with a reasonable reply. Otherwise, we shall start believing, every peace loving human being in this country are hostage in the hands of some bad elements, having ‘blessings’ from the power quarters.

After 5 days of attack on the office of Weekly Blitz newspaper by armed hooligans belong to ruling party in Bangladesh, members of law enforcing agencies are reluctant in taking any action, as some high ups in the government and police administration instructed the investigation officer not to ‘harass’ any of the accused in this case as they belong to the ruling party.

On February 22, 35-40 armed terrorists belonging to the ruling party, led by Ruhul Amin attacked the office of Blitz newspaper. They instructed the caretaker named Anwar of the commercial center named Skylark Point [where the Blitz office is located] to lock the outside gate and continued their notorious actions in the broad day light for hours in presence of members of law enforcing and various intelligence agencies. The CCTV of the building was also put switched off by the management of the building as the attackers were influential and notorious goons belonging to Bangladesh Awami League.

Despite lodging of a case more than 5 days back [Case No. 65, under section 143, 448, 323, 342, 384, 380, 427 and 506], members of law enforcing agencies in Bangladesh are showing extreme reluctance in arresting any of the attackers, mostly belonging to the ruling party, who attacked the office of Weekly Blitz on Sunday [February 22, 2009], physically assaulted the editor and other members, abused the female staffs and looted laptop and other valuables in a broad day light, in presence of One Shamim from DGFI [Directorate General of Forces Intelligence]. Members of law enforcing agencies were witnessing the incident silently as the attackers were mostly activists and members of the ruling party in Bangladesh.

Others who were in the gang are identified as Ruhul Amin, Shintu, Liton, Yunus, Anwar, Siraj, Lavlu, Kajol etc. According to police sources, most of them were thugs belonging to the ruling party.

At 10am Sunday, local time, internationally-acclaimed journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, was attacked as he was working in the office of his newspaper, Weekly Blitz, by a gang of thugs belonging to Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League. Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is now under medical treatment for eye, neck, and other injuries those he suffered in the attack. The renewed violence marks the first against him since he was abducted by Bangladesh’s dreaded Rapid Action Battalion in March 2008. It may be mentioned here that, the military backed interim regime withdrew police protection from the residence of the Blitz editor in May last year.

A large group of armed hooligans, led by one Shamim introducing himself to be an official of DGFI stormed Blitz premises and attacked newspaper staff until they found the editor. They locked the editor in a room and continued various forms of physical assaults thus abusing him to be a ‘Mossad Agent’, ‘Israeli Agent’ etc. Culprits are continuing to occupy the Blitz office.

Meanwhile, one of the leaders of the attacker’s gang named Ruhul Amin is continuing to give threats to the Weekly Blitz editors and other members of the newspaper on immediately withdrawing the case. In a phone call, Ruhul Amin said, ‘I give you people only 24 hours time. Withdraw the case; otherwise our next target is Choudhury’s residence.’

Earlier a person named Advocate Shintu, claiming to be the advisor of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, phoned the Blitz editor and demanded TK. 500,000 [US$ 8,400 approximately] as extortion. Shintu also told the Blitz editor that, he is one of the decision makers helping Sheikh Hasina in appointing her cabinet colleagues.

Weekly Blitz tried to find the reason behind reluctance of police in taking any action against the culprits as to why the attackers are yet to be arrested. On condition of anonymity, a source in police said, ‘We have already become captive in the grips of the political government and its cadres. We can watch crime, but cannot take actions. Because, if we take any action against those party activists, then we shall face various forms of departmental harassments and humiliations.’

An official of Weekly Blitz contacted some of the senior officials in Bangladesh Police, including the inspector general as well as Commission of Police [Dhaka] and informed them about lodging of the case on February 22, 2009. Copy of the FIR [First Information Report] was also sent to those officials with the appeal of initiating immediate investigation into the matter and arresting the culprits..

But, none of these senior officials are taking any action in this regard. It is learnt that, several influential leaders belong to the ruling party are continuing to call the police officers asking the reason of recording the case. They are also warning the police officers of severe consequence if any of the accused in the case are arrested or interrogated.

When contacted, an officer on duty at Paltan Police Station told Weekly Blitz that, they have specific instruction of neither investigating the case nor arresting anyone as the accused are from the ruling party.

Since installation of government led by Bangladesh Awami League, reign of terror is established throughout the country by musclemen and hooligans belonging to student’s wing, youth wing, volunteer’s wing and other pro-ruling party elements in Bangladesh.

Weekly Blitz editor and other staffs of the newspaper have made an appeal to the media community in the country and in the world for their immediate help in this regard.

SALAH UDDIN SHOAIB CHOUDHURY
Journalist, Columnist, Author & Peace Activist
Skype: shoaibnoca
Editor & Publisher, Weekly Blitz www.weeklyblitz.net
PEN USA Freedom to Write Award 2005; AJC Moral Courage Award 2006
Key to the Englewood City, USA [Highest Honor] 2007; Monaco Media Award, 2007

From: InterfaithStrength.com

Shoaib was back in court on February 18. Was what transpired new and promising or more of the same? Well, both. The new presiding judge, Mohammed Boshir Ullah asked the Public Prosecutor why the case was brought in the first place. Before he could answer, however, one of Shoaib’s longtime attorneys, Advocate Govinda Chandra Promanik, answered that the former BNP government brought the charge because Shoaib forecasted the rise of Islamist radicals in Bangladesh. “My client is a well known journalist in Bangladesh defending human rights and rights of religious minorities as well as promoting culture of peace,” he added.

The judge responded that Shoaib should be “rewarded” and not “harssed” for exposing the radicals.

Great, huh? But immediately after that, he set March 31 as the next court date “to hear witnesses”; that is, to maintain the status quo and the charges against Shoaib Choudhury. Does that sound like a reward? It is possible that the judge’s words signal a new attitude on the part of the recently elected Awami League government, but his actions indicate just the opposite. Are we to conclude that Awami is no different than the caretaker/military or the BNP? In the same vein, the government is still refusing to issue a visa allowing me into the country so I can see Shoaib and advocate for him. That makes four times out of my last five attempts, if anyone’s counting.

What are we to make of these confusing signals? Pretty much what we have concluded before: that the only measure of the Bangladeshis’ sincerity is ACTION; and they have taken some positive action in this case over the past several years, just not enough for us to consider Bangladesh a nation of laws.