ULFA connection of Bangladeshi media

by Special Correspondent
July 14, 2010

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/867/ulfa-connection-of-bangladeshi-media

Leading vernacular daily newspaper in Bangladesh, Kaler Kantha has published a front-page news report on July 14, 2010, stating that, editor of Prothom Alo, a Bangla daily newspaper will be interrogated by the local intelligence agencies about his connections with notorious separatist outfit in India named ULFA [United Liberation Front of Assam].

Prothom Alo, a newspaper published by country's Transcom Group is one of the publications of English language newspaper The Daily Star. Veteran leftist writer Motiur Rahman is the editor of Prothom Alo, who earlier served as the editor of a periodical named Ekota published by Bangladesh Communist Party.

Both Prothom Alo and Daily Star are known for their extreme anti-Semitic editorial policies and sympathies towards authoritarian rules. When army snatched power in Bangladesh on January 11 2007, executive editor of this media group was appointed as the Press Secretary to the President. During that time, both the editors of Prothom Alo and Daily Star were competing in publishing articles, editorials and commentaries blasting Bangladesh Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh Nationalist Party's leader Khaleda Zia. These newspapers were collaborating in the minus-two conspiracy of the military backed regime, which was aimed at excluding Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia from politics.

Sheikh Hasina [current Prime Minister in Bangladesh] is the daughter of the founding father of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman while, Khaleda Zia [former Prime Minister] is the wife of former President, Ziaur Rahman.

The controversial "Minus-Two formula" of the 2007-08 caretaker government sought the expulsion and exile of Hasina and former prime minister Khaleda Zia from politics and the country forever.

Military backed regime arrested Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia on numerous charges, including corruption cases. They were held in solitary confinement in so-called sub-jails created by the military backed regime. It is alleged that, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia were served poisoned food while in prison, and she was denied medical treatment.

Awami League leader and eminent entrepreneur, Salman F Rahman, who also was arrested and tortured by the military backed regime, alleged on July 19, 2009 that top-selling dailies Prothom Alo and The Daily Star helped the military-installed caretaker government in its attempt to implement the 'Minus-Two formula' in the two years of emergency rule beginning in 2007. He further said that these two newspapers were now trying to execute 'Minus-One-Formula' in clear a hint at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The vice chairman of Bangladesh's biggest business conglomerate, Beximco Group, read out a written statement and alleged that these two newspapers had been running a sustained campaign to destabilise the buoyant capital market and discouraging foreign investment.

It may be mentioned here that, The Daily Star has been publishing articles by Dr. Fkharuddin Ahmed, who later was selected by the army for leading the military backed interim government. Dr. Fakhruddin was contributing articles on various issues from Princeton, USA. When he became the head of the interim government, it was already known to everyone that, The Daily Star was silently giving platform to this man in 'building' an image in Bangladesh and abroad through his opeds exclusively published in the English language newspaper.

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