Stating that a report in the daily Prothom Alo on Independence Day was “purposeful” and "conspiratorial," Awami League Presidium Member Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak on Wednesday said the newspaper has been conspiring against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the development of Bangladesh.
“We came here to protest, and we will continue to fight against any conspirators,” Nanak said at a human chain organized by Mohila Awami League, the women's wing of the ruling Awami League, in protest against Prothom Alo's report, before the National Press Club in Dhaka.
Nanak said the reporter and executive editor withdrew the report.
“Through this, they proved that the report was baseless, purposeful and conspiratorial,” he said.
“Our countrymen were celebrating the 53rd Independence Day with due dignity. At that time, Prothom Alo published the news, completely violating the ethics of journalism. Even after so many years of liberation, we have to take the streets against lies and yellow journalism,” he said, expressing anger.
“Ethics must be protected along with freedom of the press. We will not give up against ‘yellow journalism,'” he claimed.
Nanak described such news on Independence Day as a conspiracy, similar to the fake photo of Basanti in the Daily Ittefaq in 1974, where she was wearing a fishing net as clothes.
“Through this fake photo, conspirators raised questions about our independence and they are still conspiring against our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the development of Bangladesh,” said Nanak.
“Otherwise, why would they publish Shobuj's name instead of Zakir's? Why did they print that report and for what purpose?” he questioned.
Mentioning that there is no benefit in plotting, Nanak said: “After 52 years of independence, when Bangladesh is moving forward under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, there will be no benefit in plotting against us.”
“The development progress of Bangladesh cannot be interrupted in any way,” he asserted.
A team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police picked up Prothom Alo reporter Samsuzzaman Shams from his rented house in Ashulia, Savar, at around 5am on Wednesday.
Samsuzzaman Shams spoke to people, including a child named Shobuj on March 25, on the eve of Independence Day, and submitted a report on people's suffering due to price hikes. The report was published on March 26.
The news drew criticism as the newspaper used the child's photo with a quote from a 40-year-old labourer named Zakir, identifying the child as Zakir and not Shobuj.
Prothom Alo withdrew the report within about half an hour and issued a correction later in the day, saying there was an inconsistency between the headline and the accompanying photo. Alongside the news item, the newspaper had also posted a poster on its social media handle.
Police registered a case against Samsuzzaman Shams under the Digital Security Act in the early hours of Wednesday. Afterwards, the CID picked up Samsuzzaman Shams from his rented house in Ashulia, Savar, at around 5am.
