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April 11, 2013
Bangladesh Police Arrest Acting Editor of Pro-Opposition Paper
By GARDINER HARRIS
CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh — The police in Bangladesh arrested the acting editor of a pro-opposition newspaper on Thursday amid strikes by opposition forces that have frozen travel in much of the country and that are crippling its economy.
The editor, Mahmudur Rahman, who works at the Bengali-language newspaper Amar Desh, was arrested in a raid on his office in Dhaka, the capital, and charged with sedition, among other crimes.
Bangladesh has become increasingly paralyzed by demonstrations, counterdemonstrations and strikes that often turn violent and nearly always disrupt already difficult travel conditions. In recent days, strikes have been called by pro-Islamic groups allied with the opposition parties. The groups have issued a list of 13 demands, including the death penalty for those who defame the Prophet Muhammad, a demand directed at bloggers critical of some opposition leaders. Four bloggers were jailed Wednesday on charges of insulting religious beliefs.
The bloggers have in turn demanded death sentences for those now being tried for crimes committed during Bangladesh’s war for independence more than 40 years ago.
On Wednesday, a trade organization for the country’s economically vital garment industry called for an end to the recent strikes, saying they are preventing international buyers from visiting factories during the crucial spring-summer buying season. Meanwhile, more than 1.4 million tons of goods were stuck in ports across the country because they could not be unloaded, according to local news media reports.
Foreign Affairs Minister Dipu Moni gave a briefing for foreign envoys on Wednesday evening signaling that the government might take legal action against opposition forces. But Ms. Moni pleaded for understanding from foreign governments, according to news media reports.
Opposition forces are considering calling more strikes for next week, the reports said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/12/w...st-acting-editor-of-pro-opposition-paper.html
an unbiased article from NY times
Bangladesh Police Arrest Acting Editor of Pro-Opposition Paper
By GARDINER HARRIS
CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh — The police in Bangladesh arrested the acting editor of a pro-opposition newspaper on Thursday amid strikes by opposition forces that have frozen travel in much of the country and that are crippling its economy.
The editor, Mahmudur Rahman, who works at the Bengali-language newspaper Amar Desh, was arrested in a raid on his office in Dhaka, the capital, and charged with sedition, among other crimes.
Bangladesh has become increasingly paralyzed by demonstrations, counterdemonstrations and strikes that often turn violent and nearly always disrupt already difficult travel conditions. In recent days, strikes have been called by pro-Islamic groups allied with the opposition parties. The groups have issued a list of 13 demands, including the death penalty for those who defame the Prophet Muhammad, a demand directed at bloggers critical of some opposition leaders. Four bloggers were jailed Wednesday on charges of insulting religious beliefs.
The bloggers have in turn demanded death sentences for those now being tried for crimes committed during Bangladesh’s war for independence more than 40 years ago.
On Wednesday, a trade organization for the country’s economically vital garment industry called for an end to the recent strikes, saying they are preventing international buyers from visiting factories during the crucial spring-summer buying season. Meanwhile, more than 1.4 million tons of goods were stuck in ports across the country because they could not be unloaded, according to local news media reports.
Foreign Affairs Minister Dipu Moni gave a briefing for foreign envoys on Wednesday evening signaling that the government might take legal action against opposition forces. But Ms. Moni pleaded for understanding from foreign governments, according to news media reports.
Opposition forces are considering calling more strikes for next week, the reports said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/12/w...st-acting-editor-of-pro-opposition-paper.html
an unbiased article from NY times
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