Bangladesh government imposes restriction on foreign tour of Blitz editor

by News Desk
June 28, 2011

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1542/bangladesh-government-imposes-restriction-on

Bangladesh government has instructed the immigration points in the country to stop internationally known award winning journalist and editor of Weekly Blitz, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury from leaving the country.

A highly placed source, on condition of anonymity told Weekly Blitz that, recently the Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a list of 32 people, who are currently facing sedition charges.

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is the only Bangladeshi journalist, who is facing sedition, treason and blasphemy charges for criticizing rise of militant Islam as well as for his investigative reporting on Jihadist activities within madrassas in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party [BNP] led coalition government, which also has Jamaat-e-Islami as its coalition partner brought the sedition, treason and blasphemy charges against Mr. Choudhury at the personal initiatives of the-then home secretary Omar Faruk [affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami] as well as several pro-Islamist figures in the government and Coalition.

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury was arrested on November 29, 2003 at Dhaka airport with the false accusation of being an Israeli spy. Later he was severely tortured in custody during interrogation for consecutive 10 days and later he was imprisoned for 17 months. The trial into sedition, treason and blasphemy charges si still continuing at Dhaka court.

U.S. Congress and European Parliament passed resolution demanding withdrawal of the false charge of Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury. U.S. Congress also asked the Bangladeshi government to stop all forms of harassment as well as to assure security to Mr. Choudhury.

Australian Senate, Canadian Parliament and several nations criticized the ill-treatment of Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury and the method of harassment and intimidation adopted by Bangladeshi authorities.

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury became the top enemy of Jihadists and Islamists in Bangladesh, when he started publishing investigative reports on the rise of militant Islam in the country. Due to his informative reports, government of Bangladesh though banned Al Haramine Institute, Hizbut Tahrir and anti-Semitic publication of Hizbut Towhid, the false sedition, treason and blasphemy charges were never dropped, as the government visibly tried to appease the Islamists by keeping these false charges hanging on Mr. Choudhury.

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury was released from prison in 2005 and he was allowed to travel abroad by the military controlled interim government as well the current Awami League government. But, last week, the government suddenly decided to stop him from traveling abroad for reason unknown. It is anticipated that, pro-Islamists within the government might have instigated the policymakers or bureaucracy in including Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury's name in the list of people, who are barred from leaving the country.

Weekly Blitz tried to contact various sources in the government as well as concerned agencies, but no one was available for any comment on this matter. It is assumed that, some of the policymakers in the current government might have been unhappy on Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury as he continues to write on corruption, nepotism and crime within the country, as well as for continuing to write against Islamist militancy in Bangladesh.

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