In the field of marketing, especially in the consumer behaviour section, it is advised that marketers should focus on both actual and potential customers to gain more from the market.
In the context of Bangladesh, one should not disagree with the comment that, after dealing with three actual disobedient satellite television channels and a national daily, the authority is probably focusing on some potential disobedient newspapers and their editors now.
Mahfuz Anam, editor of The Daily Star, has been plagued with defamation and sedition charges, with the number of cases reaching 75 when I was writing this, and in parliament, there is sizeable hue and cry for the newspaper’s shut-down.
The “case spree” began after the Information and Technology Advisor to the prime minister, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and seven parliamentarians asked to try Mr Anam for publishing news reports supplied by an influential intelligence agency of the country without proper verification.
This was the last of the series of attacks the English language daily has been facing since AL’s victory in the 2008 general election.
The first of these attacks was initiated by the advisor of private sector affairs to the AL president, and vice-chairman of Beximco, Mr Salman F Rahman, in July 20 of 2009 when he claimed that The Daily Star was the architect of the 1/11 incident that made way for the military to take over the government in guise of a caretaker rule.
He alleged that the newspaper was vocal in implementing the “minus two” formula that meant the forced exile of Begum Zia and Sheikh Hasina from politics, an allegation which was reiterated by a number of politicians and intellectuals who are seen as ardent supporters of the regime.
But a fresh spate of attacks was launched last year when the newspaper published a photograph of a poster of Hizb ut-Tahrir that asked the armed forced to stage a coup against the government.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in parliament, had warned The Daily Star of actions patronising the banned militant group.
Couple of months later, a number of international media houses reported that the newspaper was facing an unofficial advertisement embargo that reduced 25% of its revenue for publishing news over the death of some indigenous people, in a gunfight, who were claimed as being terrorists by government agencies.
And then, the talk-show incident took place in which Mahfuz Anam was virtually grilled on-air for publishing false stories.
One of his comments drew flak from political leaders, that ensued with a social media post made by the prime minister’s son, demanding the trial of The Daily Star editor.
So the first thing that needs to be clarified before entering this argument is whether the stories were false or not.
And another question that must not go unanswered is why is it that only one newspaper and its editor are in the line of fire while almost every single media house was involved in publishing such news supplied by intelligence agencies, even though many of them were basically nothing more than fairy tales.
Surprisingly, of the seven members of parliament who lambasted The Daily Star and its editor for the self-confessed “bad editorial judgment,” five were featured in the articles in the same newspaper a couple of years back, either for amassing wealth at an unnatural growth rate in five years or for patronising terrorism.
Moreover, till date, almost all of the media houses are still publishing and broadcasting numerous news about law enforcers or intelligence officials which sometimes turn out to be fabricated, a pattern similar to those of the last caretaker government.
And there are still no controversies regarding the publication of such articles.
Mahfuz Anam, now an offender in 75 cases, so far, three years ago wrote a commentary piece on how the regime was being driven by arrogance, vengeance, and whims.
We believe the government will prove him wrong this time and steps would be taken to withdraw all the cases against Mahfuz Anam. The never-ending trial of The Daily Star needs to see its end soon.
