BNP criticises attacks on newspaper offices; promises freedom of expression if it returns to power

BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed said that the attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star were a shame for the nation.

He said the attackers burned and destroyed Prothom Alo and The Daily Star offices, and the whole world watched it.

“It is a matter of shame for us. We cannot just express regret or apologise and end it there,” he added.

He was speaking on Sunday at a views-exchange meeting in a hotel in the city.

BNP organised the meeting with editors of daily newspapers and online portals, heads of news at radio and television stations, and other media personalities, marking BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s homecoming after 18 years of political exile.

Salahuddin said the interim government had the highest responsibility in this matter.

BNP learned that intelligence agencies had prior reports of the attacks. “Why were those reports ignored?” he asked.

He said law-enforcement agencies responded one or two hours after being informed. “Why was it delayed? In whose hands are we going to leave the state system? The actions of those responsible for a neutral election are questionable,” he said.

The BNP leader said the media had been targeted in recent days, and some places were attacked by mobs. He indicated that this happened because of the government’s weakness. “It must be stopped with a stronger hand,” he said.

He said people’s expectations for democracy are very high. Everyone in Bangladesh wants full democracy and wants democratic institutions to be strengthened. “We must make the constitutional institutions strong so that they act as the shield of democracy,” he added.

On the role of the media, he said many call the media the fourth pillar of the state.

Some journalists will have political views, but everyone should think of national interest first.

“If the people give BNP the responsibility to run the country, we will cooperate fully. We want to forget the past, but we will remember what the fascist group has done,” he said.

Speaking about Tarique Rahman’s return, Salahuddin said people hope that his return will strengthen the foundation of democracy in Bangladesh.

Tarique was forced to live in exile for 18 years. “We want to use his return to strengthen democracy — that is our expectation.”

Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman said that media freedom was comparatively better during BNP’s 2001–06 rule.

He said Begum Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman used to listen to the media and sometimes acted according to media reports.

“But this was totally absent during the authoritarian rule of the last fifteen years,” he said.

He said, “We expect more patience from BNP now than in 2001–06 if the party forms the government after the upcoming election.”

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Jay Jay Din editor Shafiq Rehman, Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam, The Financial Express editor Shamsul Huq Zahid, Kaler Kantho editor Hasan Hafiz, Manabzamin editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, Bonik Barta editor Hanif Mahmud, BanglaNews24.com editor Touhiduzzaman Mintu, BSS chief reporter Mursalin Nomani, BBC Bangla’s Qadir Kallol, and Channel 24’s Zahidul, among others, attended the meeting.

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