Netra News, a website funded by the US Congress through the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is not only dedicatedly working in promoting Islamist forces in Bangladesh, it also is hiring criminals and terrorists, while some of the staffs of this entity is directly violating resolutions and bills passed by the bipartisan members of the Congress.
Few months ago, Netra News hired an individual named Zulkarnain Saer Khan aka Tanvir Mohammad Sadat Khan aka Zulkarnain Saer Khan Sami as its “Researcher-Contractual” despite the fact of Khan’s no past experience in journalism. Instead, Zulkarnain Saer Khan, bearing Bangladeshi passport number BJ-0520260 was arrested on July 21, 2006 when he stole several mobile phones from a Dhaka store by pretending as an officer of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and a case number 43, was lodged under section 140, 170, 171, 419, 465, 467, 461 and 472 of the Bangladesh Penal Code.
Earlier Zulkarnain Sami on his social media profiles claims to be a “Research-Analyst at Al Jazeera’s i-unit”.
It may be mentioned here that, Zulkarnain Sami is also affiliated with a Facebook page namely ‘Nagorik TV’, which is directly involved in extortion, blackmailing and other types of criminal activities. One of the kingpins of this entity, Tito Rahman fled Bangladesh when his name surfaced in the local media of being connected to Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh (JMB), which had later renamed as Ansar Al Islam by forcing alliance with Al Qaeda.
Also read Antisemitic ‘Nagorik TV’, a crime-broadcast entity
Commenting on US Congress funded ‘Netra News’ appointing Zulkarnain Sami as its “Researcher-Contractual”, a senior member of the US press community said, “American tax payer’s money should not be used towards any entity that recruits known criminals and terrorists. It is also not expected that people behind Netra News uses this platform towards their personal vendetta and bias. Congress needs to immediately investigate the matter and stop funding Netra News immediately”.
Every year, the National Endowment for Democracy provides grants worth US$50 million to various newspapers and news sites around the world. Netra News is one of the recipients of NED grants.
Main agenda of Netra News is defaming Bangladesh’s democratic institutions and inciting “mass revolt” in the country and unseating the current secularist government of Awami League party. Tasneem Khalil, the Editor-in-Chief of Al Jazeera has been actively defaming Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other key figures in the government, while he has always been observing mysterious silence in exposing notorious actions of pro-Islamist Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and pro-terror Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI). He also has been silent on other jihadist groups in Bangladesh, such as Hefazat-e-Islam (HeI).
Netra News members disrespects the US Congress
For the last several days, Zulkarnain Saer Khan aka Tanvir Mohammad Sadat Khan aka Zulkarnain Saer Khan Sami; one of the key members of Netra News has been publishing false and extremely derogatory posts on his Facebook profile vilifying internationally acclaimed multi-award-winning anti-militancy journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, where he even is criticizing his physical structure. At the same time, Sami is spreading absolutely false propaganda against Mr. Choudhury stating he was buying “sexual drugs on credit from a medicine store in Dhaka”. Subsequently, Zulkarnain Sami asked a number of his cohorts to spread this bogus claim on social media clearly with the ulterior motive of defaming Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury.
Also read Zulkarnain Sami, culprit behind Sri Lanka Guardian posts
It may be mentioned here that, back in 2007, the United States Congress had passed a bipartisan resolution (HR-64) by 409 votes, where it was clearly stated that Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury should not be harassed by anyone including the Bangladesh authorities. But, Netra News member Zulkarnain Sami has directly disrespected this resolution, which is tantamount of impeachment.
As following November 8 midterm elections, the newly elected members of the US Congress sit into session, the case of Netra News and its member Zulkarnain Saer Khan Sami should be investigated and the US Congress should stop funding Netra News.
