Underground newspaper runs anti-government report supporting Al Jazeera

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A vernacular newspaper named Ajker Alokito Sokal, published from Dhaka’s Uttorkhan area has been running anti-government propaganda materials attacking the Prime Minister, Chief of Army Staff, country’s intelligence agencies and electoral system. According to information, Md. Mokhlesur Rahman Masum published a commentary titled “আলজাজিরার থ্রিলার মুভি খ্যাত ‘All the Prime Minister’s Men এবং আমাদের প্রতিক্রিয়া” in the above-named underground newspaper on February 4, 2021, where it not only has supported the contents of the Al Jazeera report, but also has added further comments against the Prime Minister, Chief of Army Staff, country’s intelligence agencies and electoral system in Bangladesh. Although the content of this commentary in Ajker Alokito Sokal clearly proves affiliation of the editor and other members of this newspaper with anti-government forces, surprisingly several officers of the Uttara Police Station as well as Jubo League and other front organizations of Awami League are maintaining closer ties with this underground publication. It may be mentioned here that, in Al Jazeera report, it has made foul attempt of defaming the Home Minister, Inspector General of Police and Police Commissioner of Dhaka. Commenting on the anti-state activities of Ajker Alokito Sokal and its mixing with police officers in Uttara, a senior official of Bangladesh Police said, they are going to initiate investigation into the matter as police officers in Uttara are not supposed to maintain contact with such an anti-government publication.

In the commentary, editor of Ajker Alokito Sokal has branded Bangladesh as a country without sovereignty, while it also has shown the extreme audacity of terming Sheikh Hasina as “incompetent”. It has even gone further by stating, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s life is at the sunset.

Commenting on anti-government propaganda in Ajker Alokito Sokal, a front-ranking leader of Awami League said, “This newspaper has crossed all limits and it is clearly evident that those behind this underground publication are not respectful to the country and its sovereignty. The government needs to immediately take stern measures against people involved in this newspaper”.

According to credible sources, one of the main jobs of Ajker Alokito Sokal is publishing false and defamatory reports against various individuals with the notorious agenda of extorting money through blackmailing.

A senior lawyer of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, while commenting on the commentary published in the underground newspaper told Blitz, contents of the commentary are tantamount to high treason and sedition. For the crime of publishing such anti-state material, the newspaper should face sedition charges, while the Cyber Crime Unit of Bangladesh Police may also take necessary steps against it, alongside the other related agencies.

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