Police yesterday shut down yet another stall at the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela for selling a book with content that could hurt “religious sentiments” and detained three people in this connection.
In a raid, conducted around 4pm, led by Shahbagh police station officer-in-charge (OC) Abu Bakar Siddique, the stall of Badwip Prakashan, located at the Suhrawardy Udyan part of the fair, was shut down.
They also seized copies of several books including Islam Bitorko (the Islam debate), which is a collection of essays compiled by Shamsuzzoha Manik, also owner of the publishing house.
The detainees are: Shamsuzzoha, Shamsul Alam, the stall’s manager, and Fakir Taslim Uddin Kajol, owner of the book’s printing press.
The Shahbagh OC said last night that they had detained Shamsul when he went to the police station after the stall was shut down. Later, they went to Shamsuzzoha’s Mirpur residence along with Shamsul, and detained the publisher from there. Meanwhile, another two-member team of police detained the printer from his office in Katabon.
Section 13.13 of the book fair “Rules and Regulations” booklet says that before closing a stall, authorities will give a deadline to the publisher for removing books with objectionable content. If the publisher fails to comply, then the authorities will close the stall.
However, the Dhaka Tribune has not found any evidence that could suggest that Badwip was given any such deadline or cautioned before the drive.
Until last evening, publisher Shamsuzzoha also could not be reached for a comment on if they were given any deadline.
The OC said they conducted the raid after they had found out on social media that people are complaining about the contents of Islam Bitorko.
Nobody from the organisers were accompanying the police team nor were any of them seen around during the raid or could be found for a comment.
When approached, Mrinal, an attendant of the stall, told the Dhaka Tribune: “I do not know anything. I have been working here since February 2.”
However, while talking to media in the evening, Shahbagh OC Siddique did not say anything about what they had seen on social media.
Instead, he claimed that they had consulted the fair authorities and that the raid was conducted after several visitors had complained about the contents of some books that Badwip has published.
“There was a chapter titled “Muslim Manosher Jouna Bikriti [sex perversion of the Muslim mind]. The contents were objectionable. Many complained to us and we found the allegations true,” the OC said.
From the stall, police seized several other books including “Muhammad, Jihad O Islamer Shahingsho Prochar” (Muhammad, Jihad and violent preaching of Islam), “Islam O Adhunik Sabhyata” (Islam and modern civilisation), “Jihad,” “Astikota-Nastikotar Dondo” (theism vs atheism), “Islame Narir Obostha” (position of women in Islam), and “Nari O Dharma” (Women and religion).
The same section of the guideline booklet prohibits the display or selling of books, products and magazines with obscene or distasteful contents or which mock at national leaders or hurt religious sentiments or pose threat to security of the public or the book fair.
When contacted right after the stall was shut down, Jalal Ahmed, member secretary of the fair organising committee, said: “I have been informed about the matter. But I have yet to receive any written complaint against the publishing house.”
A few hours later, he said: “Police informed us first that there are books that can hurt religious sentiments. They said they came to know about this through Facebook. But, before we could visit the stall, they seized the books and shut it down.”
Asked whether police have the authority to shut down stalls, he said: “Police told us that it could jeopardise the security of the fair. Taking care of security at the fair is part of the police’s responsibility.”
Last year, fair authorities closed the stall of Rodela Prokashani for selling and displaying a book titled “Nabi Muhammader 23 Years” (23 years of Prophet Muhammad) on grounds it could hurt religious sentiment. However, no-one was detained at that time.
“Last year, after the Rodela stall was shut down, many visitors gathered in front of the stall and started asking for that book which created chaos on the fair ground,” Jalal said.
So, in order to avoid any untoward situation at the venue, police took the action. “Now we have decided to shut down the stall in line with the fair guidelines,” he added.
Badwip’s office is located in Concord Emporium – a high-rise building that has recently become a new hub of publishing houses – in the city’s Katabon area.
Delowar Hasan, owner of Badwip’s neighbour Abishkar Prokashan, said police had visited Badwip’s office several times yesterday, but did nothing.
Prof Zia Uddin, president of the owners association of the building, said they had decided not to allow Badwip’s office there anymore.
Shabda Koli Printers, the press in the Katabon Dhaka University Market where the book was printed, was found closed yesterday evening. However, neighbours said there had been no police visits.
This year the fair authorities have shut down two other stalls for selling pirated books.
