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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| 'Can't afford rice' quote lands journalist in jail | 'Can't afford rice' quote lands journalist in jail |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Mr Shams appeared in court but was denied bail and taken to jail | Mr Shams appeared in court but was denied bail and taken to jail |
| A journalist at a leading Bangladeshi newspaper has been jailed on charges of publishing "false" news after his report on high food prices went viral. | A journalist at a leading Bangladeshi newspaper has been jailed on charges of publishing "false" news after his report on high food prices went viral. |
| Samsuzzaman Shams of Prothom Alo daily appeared in court and was denied bail, a day after he was arrested. | Samsuzzaman Shams of Prothom Alo daily appeared in court and was denied bail, a day after he was arrested. |
| His story - which ran on 26 March, the country's Independence Day - is alleged to have "smeared the government". | His story - which ran on 26 March, the country's Independence Day - is alleged to have "smeared the government". |
| Rights activists have denounced the arrest and accused the government of stifling press freedom. | Rights activists have denounced the arrest and accused the government of stifling press freedom. |
| The government denies the allegation but media rights groups have warned of a steady erosion in freedoms under the governing Awami League, in power since 2009. | The government denies the allegation but media rights groups have warned of a steady erosion in freedoms under the governing Awami League, in power since 2009. |
| Reporters Without Borders ranked Bangladesh 162 out of 180 countries in last year's World Press Freedom Index, below Russia and Afghanistan. | Reporters Without Borders ranked Bangladesh 162 out of 180 countries in last year's World Press Freedom Index, below Russia and Afghanistan. |
| The paper Mr Shams works for is Bangladesh's largest and the most influential daily. It was not immediately clear how long he would stay in jail. | The paper Mr Shams works for is Bangladesh's largest and the most influential daily. It was not immediately clear how long he would stay in jail. |
| The reporter was picked up at his home outside Dhaka early on Wednesday morning by plain-clothes officers. | The reporter was picked up at his home outside Dhaka early on Wednesday morning by plain-clothes officers. |
| His employers had no idea of his whereabouts for nearly 30 hours as police and other security agencies said they had no information on him. | His employers had no idea of his whereabouts for nearly 30 hours as police and other security agencies said they had no information on him. |
| Fear in Bangladesh after huge fuel price rise | Fear in Bangladesh after huge fuel price rise |
| Blindfolded and held in a secret underground cell | Blindfolded and held in a secret underground cell |
| Fears for democracy as buoyant Bangladesh turns 50 | Fears for democracy as buoyant Bangladesh turns 50 |
| The report for which Mr Shams was detained featured ordinary Bangladeshis talking about their lives on Independence Day. | The report for which Mr Shams was detained featured ordinary Bangladeshis talking about their lives on Independence Day. |
| One quotation was from a labourer who asked: "What is the use of this freedom if we can't afford rice?" | One quotation was from a labourer who asked: "What is the use of this freedom if we can't afford rice?" |
| The comment was seen to reflect growing worries about escalating food prices, which have soared around the world since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. | The comment was seen to reflect growing worries about escalating food prices, which have soared around the world since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. |
| The Prothom Alo article was shared by large numbers of people. When the paper posted the report on Facebook, it used a wrong photo of a person. | The Prothom Alo article was shared by large numbers of people. When the paper posted the report on Facebook, it used a wrong photo of a person. |
| "Once we realised the error, we immediately pulled it down and issued a clarification under the (amended) report," Sajjad Sharif, the paper's executive editor, told the BBC. | "Once we realised the error, we immediately pulled it down and issued a clarification under the (amended) report," Sajjad Sharif, the paper's executive editor, told the BBC. |
| "But we stand by the original report. The quote of the labourer on the food price was genuine," he said. | "But we stand by the original report. The quote of the labourer on the food price was genuine," he said. |
| But supporters of the governing Awami League accused the daily of fabricating quotes and tarnishing the image of the country. | |
| Police have also launched an investigation against its editor, Matiur Rahman, as well as a video journalist from the newspaper and several other people under the controversial Digital Security Act (DSA). | Police have also launched an investigation against its editor, Matiur Rahman, as well as a video journalist from the newspaper and several other people under the controversial Digital Security Act (DSA). |
| Law Minister Anisul Haq said Mr Shams had "misrepresented facts with the mala fide intention of creating discontent". | Law Minister Anisul Haq said Mr Shams had "misrepresented facts with the mala fide intention of creating discontent". |
| "The case was filed by an individual not by the government. Due process will follow," Mr Haq told the BBC. | "The case was filed by an individual not by the government. Due process will follow," Mr Haq told the BBC. |
| He said the editor and the publisher of the daily also had responsibility for the report - and that's why police were investigating them. | He said the editor and the publisher of the daily also had responsibility for the report - and that's why police were investigating them. |
| The latest developments come amid concerns over the alleged harassment of human rights defenders and media personnel in the build-up to elections later this year. | The latest developments come amid concerns over the alleged harassment of human rights defenders and media personnel in the build-up to elections later this year. |
| The Media Freedom Coalition, an initiative by a group of Western nations in Dhaka, has expressed concern over recent reports of violence and intimidation of journalists, including the detention in the Prothom Alo case. | The Media Freedom Coalition, an initiative by a group of Western nations in Dhaka, has expressed concern over recent reports of violence and intimidation of journalists, including the detention in the Prothom Alo case. |
| Bangladeshi journalists say there are increasingly under pressure for reporting that is critical of the government of Sheikh Hasina. They say the DSA has created a culture of fear. | Bangladeshi journalists say there are increasingly under pressure for reporting that is critical of the government of Sheikh Hasina. They say the DSA has created a culture of fear. |
| According to media rights groups, cases have been filed against around 280 journalists under the DSA since it was enacted in 2018. | According to media rights groups, cases have been filed against around 280 journalists under the DSA since it was enacted in 2018. |
| Mr Haq says the government is working with media houses on issues concerning the act. "I engaged with them [editors] to remove the fear. We are trying to take the best practices. If the DSA has to be improved we will make rules to do that," he said. | Mr Haq says the government is working with media houses on issues concerning the act. "I engaged with them [editors] to remove the fear. We are trying to take the best practices. If the DSA has to be improved we will make rules to do that," he said. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Press freedom | Press freedom |
| Asia | Asia |
| Bangladesh | Bangladesh |
| Sheikh Hasina | Sheikh Hasina |