Sixth year of publication

by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
December 24, 2010

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1184/sixth-year-of-publication

In today's world of huge economic recession, survival of a newspaper, which again promotes unpopular opinion in any country, is no joke! But, Weekly Blitz has been able in attaining the goal of continuing publication for five years. On December 22, 2010, we have completed the 5th year of publication with this 52^nd issue of the 5^th year.

In the past five years, we have never bee fortunate like colleague newspapers in Bangladesh or in the region. Our office was bombed by Islamist militants in 2006 [July], attacked by the then ruling party thugs in October the same year.

In 2008, member of Rapid Action Battalion stormed into our office and abducted me at gun point along with a fellow colleague. We were released in hours at the immediate intervention of Congressman Mark Steven Kirk [now Senator from Illinois] and dynamic actions initiated by Dr. Richard L. Benkin. Again in 2009, our office was attacked by ruling party thugs, who were accompanied by an officer of army intelligence. This time, our office was ransacked, looked and staffs of Blitz were hugely assaulted and humiliated. And most importantly, all such things happened in presence of police, who just remained as silent spectators of the entire episode.

For past five years, Weekly Blitz never received even a single advertisement from the local entrepreneurs, because of our editorial policy, which is against militant Islam and terrorism. We definitely have experienced tremendous economic hardship, and of course, organizations like Hudson Institute New York, Middle East Forum as well as individuals like HRH Prince Albert of Monaco, Dr. Daniel Pipes, Nina Rosenwald, Bat Zion Susskind, and Brother Kim very kindly stood with all out support, which helped us in surviving in extreme adversity.

While we are still struggling in sustaining, our readership has greatly increased and by now, Weekly Blitz is considered as one of the most influential newspapers in South Asia. Only in 2010, more than three million readers visited our online edition. Due to our continuous editorials and commentaries, Bangladeshi government in 2009 banned extremist Islamist militancy group Hizbut Tahrir. Anti-Semitic and anti West book named Dajjal, which is published by another notorious Islamist militancy group named Hizbut Towhid has been stopped from circulation by the government in 2010. Infamous clergy named Dr. Zakir Naik was denied entry to United Kingdom and Canada, due to our editorials exposing his most fanatic lectures, which encourages Jihad and terrorism.

Recently Norwegian journalist Tom Heinemann's documentary on Grameen Bank and Dr. Mohammad Yunus came into lime light of media. Weekly Blitz started exposing the wrong-doings of Grameen Bank and Dr. Yunus in 2008. We published several investigative reports and editorials on the activities of Yunus and Grameen Bank.

We continued to fight for Iranian woman Astiani, who was facing death sentence through stoning on concocted adultery charges in Iran, a country, which is under the nasty grips of fanatic Muslim clergies. Weekly Blitz published series of reports and editorials on current situation inside Iran.

In 2009, we initiated a project titled 'Education through entertainment', which is aimed at exposing nasty faces of religious extremism, militancy and Jihad to the people in Asia and the world. We already have completed couple of films on adverse affect of rogue Sharia law in the Muslim societies. We are currently working on a number of feature film projects, which are also based on the same themes. We believe, these films will be able to educate people in voicing against militant Islam, religious extremism, persecution of Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and religious minorities as well as stand in favor of religious tolerance and peace.

Every week, we are combating religious extremism and militant Islam. We promote inter-faith understanding and peaceful co-existence of people from all religious beliefs. We strongly defend democratic institutions and democracy as well as human rights.

Weekly Blitz never compromises in exposing the truth. We possibly are the only newspaper in the region, which is never dictated by any anti humanity elements. Though we still are a small newspaper, but we are gradually growing and gaining adherent.

At this auspicious moment of completion of the fifth year of publication, we would like to extend our profound gratitude to those, who very kindly stood for us with encouragement, criticism, support and inspiration. We would also like to wish Merry Christmas to our valued readers, friend, patron and also foes.

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