Rights group urges Bangla govt to probe attacks on scribes

New York, June 9 (UNI) Authorities in Bangladesh must promptly and impartially investigate attacks against journalists by supporters of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Human Rights Watch has said.

Nearly two weeks after the attacks, police made no arrests and a local newspaper remains closed, according to news reports from Dhaka. The attacks and slow government response reflect an intimidating atmosphere for journalists in Bangladesh.

Restrictions on free expression and press freedom in particular could jeopardize the fairness of elections set for early next year, the rights group feared.

''The government must show it will not tolerate attacks on the press from ruling party supporters or anyone else,'' Asia Deputy Director at Human Rights Watch Sophie Richardson said yesterday.

''Failing to investigate and prosecute violent incidents could encourage similar attacks,'' she added.

On May 29, more than two dozen BNP supporters attacked a peaceful protest by journalists in the western town of Kushtia. Using stones and sticks they wounded 19 people, including the chief editor of the 'Bangladesh Observer' and then-president of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury.

Mr Chowdhury told the New York-based rights group that supporters of local BNP legislator Shahidul Islam attacked and disrupted the protest.

''They were throwing stones and chairs and I was hit on the forehead,'' he said.

According to Mr Chowdhury and news reports, protest organisers had requested security from the local authorities before the event.

During the attack, the police did not intervene or try to make arrests.

According to the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, 12 journalists have been killed during the current government's four years reign. A human rights organisation, Odhikar, said earlier this month that 43 journalists were injured in attacks in May 2006 alone.

''This government came to power on a promise to fight crime,'' Ms Richardson said. ''So it must make real efforts to investigate when persons linked to officials disrupt or attack rallies,'' she added.

UNI XC PA DS1447