December 4, 2024

Press Freedom

Bangladesh

OPC Raises Alarm on Behalf of Threatened Bangladeshi Editor

H.E. Zillur Rahman
President
People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Fax: (011.8802) 86.63.00

H.E. Sheikh Hasina Wajed
Prime Minister
People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Fax: (011.8802) 81.32.43/4

Your Excellencies:

We write to you with a great urgency on behalf of our Bangladeshi colleague, Nurul Kabir, editor of New Age.

On February 23, someone claiming to be “top terror mamun” phoned Kabir to threaten him and his family with “dire” consequences if he continues to write and speak out against “terrorism of various sorts.” The caller also reportedly promised that Kabir and his family will be “hit” should he fail to comply.

For good measure, the caller, who made the call from the number 01816904359 at 12:15 pm, also demanded money from Kabir.

It is our understanding that Kabir has filed a report of this threat with the Tejgaon Industrial Area police in this connection.

The work of professional journalists is a cornerstone of a thriving democracy. It would be of immeasurable value — not just to Kabir, but to all of our colleagues — if your office were to be seen to have a visible interest in this outrage.

Respectfully yours,

Kevin McDermott
Jeremy Main
Co-chairmen, Freedom of the Press Committee

cc:

Nurul Kabir
New Age
Holiday Building
30, Tejgaon Industrial Area
Dhaka-1208
Bangladesh
Fax: (011.8802) 811.2247

H.E. Akramul Qader
Ambassador of Bangladesh to the U.S.A.
Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
3510 International Drive, NW
Washington, DC 20007

Ambassador Abdulkalam Abdul Momen
Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
to the United Nations
227 East 45 Street, 14th Floor
New York, NY  10017

H.E. James F. Moriarty
U.S. Ambassador to Banglades
Embassy of the United States of America
Madani Avenue, Baridhara
Dhaka  1000
Bangladesh
Fax: (011.8802) 882.3744

Mahbubul Alam
Editor
The Independent
32 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue
Karwan Bazar, Dhaka-1215
Bangladesh
Fax: (011.8802) 912.7722

The Editor
Banglar Bani
Fax: (011.8802 ) 86.17.72

The Editor
Dainik Ingilab
Fax: (011.8802)  83.31.22/ 7-72

The Editor
Ittefaq
Fax: (011.8802) 86.57.76

Mr. Brian Palmer
bxpnyc@earthlink.net