Bangladesh: Bangladeshi Authorities Must Immediately Drop All Charges Filed Against Award-Winning Journalist Rozina Islam
Location: Bangladesh
Date: January 23, 2023
Renowned investigative journalist Rozina Islam has been on the receiving end of continuous harassment from Bangladeshi authorities due to her work. The Coalition For Women In Journalism vehemently condemns all acts of reprisal and intimidation against the journalist. We hold the Bangladeshi authorities responsible for using such tactics to silence the free press.
On Monday, January 23, chief metropolitan magistrate (ACMM) of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka, Tofazzal Hossain, directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to further investigate the case filed under the penal code and the Official Secrets Act against Prothom Alo special correspondent Rozina Islam.
On January 16, CFWIJ was contacted via direct messages by Rozina Islam, a senior journalist with the Bengali Newspaper Prothom Alo and a human rights defender. The reason was to report an update on the case filed against Islam by the Bangladeshi authorities. In the private message sent to CFWIJ Islam said that she is afraid that the relentless harassment against her will persist until she is finally punished.
In July, 2022, police gave their final report and they did not find anything against Islam. Unfortunately, a Health Ministry official appeared at the court on Monday and said that they would not accept the investigation report. They added that they will officially file their appeal with the court on January 23.
"I believe harassment against me will start again.They may also compel the investigation officer to report me as guilty. The plaintiff has told me personally that he is under pressure to appear in front of the court on January 23 to testify against me," says Islam in her message.
Rozina Islam has extensively reported on human rights issues in Bangladesh and has published a series of investigative reports on the government’s weak management of the COVID-19 pandemic, including on corruption and mismanagement of the health sector. The journalist has also received several international and national awards for her investigative reports revealing governmental corruption including UNESCO Prize in 2011, Canadian awards for excellence in Bangladeshi Journalism also in 2011, Mass Media Award Bangladesh to Prevent Corruption in 2014, Deutsche Welle International Prize for Corruption in 2015, and TIB Investigative Journalism Award in the same year. In 2021, the Amsterdam based Free Press Unlimited awarded Islam the Free Press Award in the Most Resilient Journalist category. In 2022, Islam received the Anti-corruption Champions Award-2022 of the United States Department of State.
On April 17, 2021, Islam, went to the Health Ministry office in the Bangladesh Secretariat for COVID-19 related reporting. The journalist was confined in the ministry for five hours and her mobile phones were confiscated. According to reports, Islam was allegedly harassed and assaulted during detention at the secretariat. Islam was arrested on May 16, 2021, for allegedly stealing information and taking photographs of sensitive state documents without permission.
Deputy Secretary of the Health Services Division, Sibbir Ahmed Osmani, filed a case against Islam on April 17, 2021 with Shahbagh police station under the Official Secrets Act of 1923. The journalist was jailed in Dhaka Kashimpur Women's Central Jail. A virtual hearing for her bail was held on May 20, 2021. The court later announced the decision would be delayed until May 23, 2021, and on that day she was granted a conditional bail after being imprisoned for seven days. The bail, which would last till July 15, 2021, was granted upon a bond of BDT 5,000 and the submission of her passport to the court.
"If it continues like this, day after day, how shall I do my work?", says Islam.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism extends full support to journalist Rozina Islam. We demand that all charges filed against her are dropped unconditionally. We call on the Bangladeshi authorities to cease all tactics of harassment and intimidation against Rozina Islam. Free press and justice must prevail for democracy to thrive.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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