journalist
Slain Al Jazeera journalist to be laid to rest in Jerusalem
Thousands of mourners, some hoisting Palestinian flags and chanting “Palestine, Palestine,” on Friday attended the funeral in Jerusalem for an Al Jazeera journalist who witnesses say was shot and killed by Israeli forces earlier this week while covering a military raid in the occupied West Bank.
Dozens of people tried to march with the casket on foot out of a hospital near the Old City. Israeli police moved in and began beating them with batons, causing the pallbearers to briefly drop the casket on the ground.
It was a rare mass show of Palestinian nationalism in east Jerusalem — the contested part of the holy city that Israel captured in 1967 and which the Palestinians claim as their capital. Israel says east Jerusalem is part of its capital and has annexed the area in a move that is not internationally recognized.
“We die for Palestine to live,” the crowd chanted. “Our beloved home.” Later, they sang the Palestinian national anthem.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said its initial investigation into Shiren Abu Akleh’s death showed that a heavy firefight was underway around 200 meters (yards) from where she was killed, but that it was unable to determine whether she was shot by Israeli forces or Palestinian militants.
Recent days have seen an outpouring of grief from across the Palestinian territories and the wider Arab world. Abu Akleh was a widely respected on-air correspondent who spent a quarter century covering the harsh realities of life under Israeli military rule, which is well into its sixth decade with no end in sight.
READ: Bangladesh media condemn Al Jazeera journalist Shireen’s killing
After the heated scene outside the hospital, police allowed the family to drive the casket to a Catholic church in the Old City, which was packed with mourners, before sealing off the hospital and firing tear gas at scores of protesters inside.
After the service, thousands headed to the cemetery, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Palestine, Palestine.”
Police said the crowd at the hospital was chanting “nationalist incitement,” ignored calls to stop and threw stones at police. “The policemen were forced to act,” police said.
Qatar-based Al Jazeera had earlier said that its managing director, Ahmad Alyafei, would travel to Jerusalem to attend the funeral.
Israel has called for a joint investigation with the Palestinian Authority and for it to hand over the bullet for forensic analysis to determine who fired the fatal round. The PA has refused, saying it will conduct its own investigation and send the results to the International Criminal Court, which is already investigating possible Israeli war crimes.
In a statement issued Friday, the military said Palestinian gunmen recklessly fired hundreds of rounds at an Israeli military vehicle, some in the direction of where Abu Akleh was standing. It said Israeli forces returned fire, and that without doing ballistic analysis it cannot determine who was responsible for her death.
“The conclusion of the interim investigation is that it is not possible to determine the source of the fire that hit and killed the reporter,” the military said.
Reporters who were with Abu Akleh, including one who was shot and wounded, said there were no clashes or militants in the immediate area when she was killed early Wednesday. All of them were wearing protective equipment that clearly identified them as reporters.
Read: Slain Al Jazeera journalist was icon of Palestinian coverage
Either side is likely to cast doubt on any conclusions reached by the other, and there did not appear to be any possibility of a third party carrying out an independent probe.
The PA and Al Jazeera accused Israel of deliberately killing Abu Akleh within hours of her death. Israel says a full investigation is needed before any conclusions can be drawn.
Rights groups say Israel rarely follows through on investigations into the killing of Palestinians by its security forces and hands down lenient punishments on the rare occasions when it does. This case, however, is drawing heavy scrutiny because Abu Akleh was a well-known figure and also an American citizen.
Abu Akleh, 51, had joined Al Jazeera’s Arabic-language service in 1997 and rose to prominence covering the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising against Israeli rule, in the early 2000s.
She was shot in the head early Wednesday while covering an Israeli arrest raid in the West Bank town of Jenin. Palestinians from in and around Jenin have carried out a series of deadly attacks inside Israel in recent weeks, and Israel has launched near daily arrest raids in the area, often igniting gunbattles with militants.
Israeli troops pushed into Jenin again early Friday. An Associated Press photographer heard heavy gunfire and explosions, and said Israeli troops had surrounded a home.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said 13 Palestinians were hospitalized after being wounded in the fighting, including one who was shot in the stomach. The Israeli military tweeted that Palestinians opened fire when its forces went in to arrest suspected militants. Police said a member of a special Israeli commando unit was also wounded.
Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem — including the Old City and its holy sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims — in the 1967 war. The Palestinians want both territories as part of their future state. Israel annexed east Jerusalem in a move not recognized internationally and views the entire city as its capital.
Police went to Abu Akleh’s family home in Jerusalem the day she was killed and have shown up at other mourning events in the city to remove Palestinian flags. Tensions are running high ahead of the funeral.
CRAB leadership condemns attacks on journos during New Market clashes
The Executive Committee of the Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh (CRAB) has strongly condemned the barbaric attacks on journalists who were performing their professional duties at great risk anyway during the horrifying clashes between students of Dhaka College and traders in the New Market area since late Monday night.
CRAB members Asif Sumit, senior reporter of Dipta TV, and Jasim Mihir, Staff Reporter of Dhaka Post, were among those who came under attack.
The association's president, Mirza Mehdi Tamal, and general secretary Asaduzzaman Biku in a statement demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the attackers.
Journalists were attacked in front of Dhaka College when they went there to collect news of clashes between students and businessmen. Among others, cameraperson of the Dipta TV Imran Hossain Lipu, MyTV reporter Danny Drong, SA TV reporter Tuhin, cameraperson Kabir Hossain, RTV cameraperson Sumon Dey, Daily Star photojournalist Prabir and the daily Aajker Kagoj 's reporter Alamin Raju were also injured while performing their professional duties during the attack.
In a statement, the leaders of CRAB said that those who attacked journalists while performing their professional duties, regardless of their identity, were terrorists. These terrorists are the enemies of the country and the nation, they said.
READ: Mobile internet services suspended in New Market area
CRAB leaders demanded that those involved in the incident be immediately identified and brought under the law. Besides, they also called upon the law enforcement agencies to be more vigilant in providing security to the journalists.
Over 30 people including journalists and students were injured on Tuesday as students of Dhaka College locked into a series of clashes again with traders of New Market at Nilkhet intersection in the city.
The whole area turned into a scene from a warzone after a fresh clash erupted between them around 10 am as a sequel to Monday night's events.
Prime accused in Cumilla journo murder case killed in 'gunfight’ with Rab
The prime accused in the murder of a local journalist was killed in a reported gunfight with members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in Adarsha Sadar upazila of Cumilla early Sunday.
The deceased were identified as Md Raju, son of Sadek Mia of Bishnupur village in Cumilla Adarsha Sadar upazila.
Tipped off, a team of Rab-11 conducted a drive in the area to arrest Raju at Golabari around 2 am, said Major Mohammad Sakib Hossain, company commander of Rab-11.
Sensing the presence of the elite force members, he opened fire on Rab, forcing them to fire back, he said.
At one stage, Raju was caught in the line of fire and sustained injuries.
READ: 4 killed in gunfight between unidentified groups in Bandarban: Police
Later, he was taken to Cumilla Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Mohiuddin Sarker Naim, a staff reporter of local newspaper 'Cumillar Dak', was shot dead by suspected drug peddlers along Hayderabadnagar border in the upazila on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, a murder case was filed at the Burichang police station on a complaint from the deceased journalist’s mother Najma Akter.
Md Raju, 24, wanted in several narcotics cases, was named as the main accused in the case filed against nine people including three unnamed ones.
On April 15, police arrested four accused.
Four held over Cumilla scribe's murder
Police have arrested four people in connection with the killing a local journalist in Burichang upazila of Cumilla.
Two of the arrestees have been identified as Md Farhad Mridha, 38, and Md Palash Mia, 34.
"The four were nabbed on Thursday night. The names of the two other accused will be disclosed later at a presser," said Alamgir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Burichang police station.
On Thursday, a murder case was filed at the Burichang police station on a complaint from the deceased journalist Mohiuddin Sarker's mother Najma Akter.
READ: 53 members of 'extortionist, kidnapping gangs’ held in city
Md Raju, 24, wanted in several narcotics cases, was named as the main accused in the case, along with eight others.
Mohiuddin Sarker Naim, a staff reporter with a local newspaper named 'Cumillar Dak', was shot dead by suspected drug peddlers at Hayderabadnagar border in the upazila on Wednesday night.
Missing Bangladeshi journalist found in Libya after 5 days
Bangladeshi journalist Zahidur Rahman, who went missing in Libya five days ago, has been found.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, who is in Sri Lanka now, on Monday confirmed that Zahidur, a special correspondent of private TV channel NTV, was found.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Libya Major General SM Shamim-Uz-Zaman conveyed the updates to Foreign Minister Momen in the evening.
The Libyan authorities told him that the Bangladeshi is in their custody.
Zahidur's family said he flew to the UK on March 3 and reached Libya's capital Tripoli on March 21.
READ: Coronavirus: Bangladeshi journalist dies in New York
The journalist went missing on March 23, Zahidur's wife Taslima Rahman said.
A day before he went missing, Zahidur took several photos at Green Square in Tripoli on March 22.
Taking photos is banned in Tripoli and that may be the reason for the journalist going missing.
Journalist Uday Hakim joins Vista as entrepreneurial director
Journalist Uday Hakim has joined Vista Electronics Limited as an entrepreneurial director.
A function was organised at the corporate office of Vista Electronics at Gulshan-1 in the capital on the occasion. The Vista family cut a cake and greeted him with flowers on Tuesday.
Read: 16 Days of Activism: USAID workshop highlights empowering women journalists
Uday Hakim was involved in journalism for 12 years when he worked in Prothom Alo, Amar Desh, Channel I, CSB News, Kaler Kantho and Risingbd, said a press release.
In 2010, he joined Walton and he was the Senior Executive Director of Walton and the Advisory Editor of online news portal Risingbd.com.
Vista started its journey in early 2021 with the slogan ‘Excellence in Technology’. Vista has set up a factory at Bangabandhu Hi-Tech Park in Kaliakair, Gazipur.
2 including journo arrested in DSA case in Satkhira
Two people, including a journalist, have been arrested under the Digital Security Act for posting alleged provocative statements against the government and police on Facebook in Patkelghata of Satkhira, police said on Friday.
The arrestees have been identified as Patkelghata Press Club President Jahurul Haque, 45, a correspondent of Daily Bhorer Paata and Abdur Rahman, a resident of Patkelghata Palli Bidyut Samiti area.
Read: Journalists sued under DSA need not to be arrested instantly: Law Minister
Babul Akhter, officer-in-charge (OC) of Satkhira DB Police, said police arrested the duo from the Patkelghata area on Thursday night following a case that was filed against three people under the Digital Security Act for allegedly writing provocative statements against the police and the government on Facebook.
DB Sub-Inspector (SI) Arifur Rahman, who is the plaintiff in the case, said he filed a case under the Digital Security Act against three people at the Satkhira Sadar Police Station on Thursday evening on various charges including sending anonymous application to senior police officials against the subordinates as well as writing provocative and offensive remarks on Facebook against the recently departed Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Humayun Kabir of Tala Circle.
Read:Kushtia journo held under DSA for defamatory post against PM
The process of sending the arrestees to jail through the court was underway, said Golam Kabir, officer-in-charge (OC) of Satkhira Sadar Police Station.
Colleagues, friends bid tearful adieu to journalist Habibur Rahman
Colleagues, friends and well-wishers paid last respect to journalist Habibur Rahman at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) on Wednesday followed by his first namaz-e-janaza there.
The 35-year-old journalist, also a senior reporter of daily “Shomoyer Alo” died in a motorbike accident in the city’s Hatirjheel area in the early hours of Wednesday.
Read: Journalist Reazuddin Ahmed laid to rest
Habibur Rahman, a former organising secretary of the DRU, left wife, a two-and-half-year-old son, father, mother and host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death.
DRU executive committee led by its President Nazrul Islam Mithu and General Secretary Nurul Islam Hasib paid respect to Habibur Rahman placing wreaths on his coffin.
Later, Bangladesh Awami League, Prime Minister’s press wing and journalists’ bodies paid respect to him by placing flowers on his coffin.
“Habibur Rahman was a very promising young journalist. He was a good soul,” said the DRU president in his brief speech.
DRU general secretary Hasib said they worked together in the executive committee of 2017. “I had seen his organizational capacity, honesty and sincerity. He was a dedicated journalist.”
‘Journalist’ accused of embezzling over Tk 9 lakh in Sylhet
A businessman has raised an allegation against a man posing as a journalist of embezzling Tk 9.74 lakh in the name of ‘investment’ in an NGO.
The accused was identified as Abdul Awal Chowdhury Shipar, son of Abdul Malek Chowdhury of Kanaighat upazila of Sylhet.
Khasrul Islam Shamsul, a cloth trader of Rangmahal Tower in Bondorbazar, made the allegation at a press conference at Sylhet District Press Club on Tuesday.
Khasrul met Shipar while buying clothes six months ago. He introduced himself as a journalist.
READ: IDRA finds Delta Life Insurance Board’s involvement in embezzling Tk3,687 cr
According to the allegation, several days after his acquaintance with Khasrul, Shipar advised him to invest in various foreign NGOs.
At one point, he introduced himself as the managing director of ‘Disable Rehabilitation Endeavor and Movement’ - Dream, an NGO. Later, he took Khasrul to an office in Mirpur of the capital and introduced him to Lutful Haider Chowdhury, a resident of Shahidbagh area of Dhaka. At that time, Lutful Haider Chowdhury also advised him to invest in their NGO.
NGOs usually have donors, not investors. But Khasrul was none the wiser.
Following the advice, Khasrul handed over Tk 9.74 lakh to Shipar for investment in that NGO.
Shipar then cut off all communications. “And then I realized that Shipar and his associate had deceived me,” said Khasrul.
He alleged, “When I called Latful Haider Chowdhury after realizing that I had been deceived, he threatened me in various ways. Lastly, he also denied taking money from me.”
READ: 4 arrested for embezzling Tk 2.57 crore from DBBL, ringleader remains at large
Khasrul Islam said they have deceived many people in this way. Shipar used to work as an agent for Lutful Haider Chowdhury.
Khairul also sought the law enforcers’ cooperation to get back his money from the deceivers.
Journalist leader picked up with 9 Jamaat women leaders in Feni
A leader of a faction of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) was held Tuesday as police raided a residence in Feni’s Sonagazi and picked up nine women leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islam Bangladesh.
BFUJ central committee president M Abdullah was visiting his sister’s house in Ward-3 of Sonagazi, at the same time as a clandestine meeting of Jamaat, the party without a registration, was being held on the property, according to police.
Abdullah’s sister is married to ex-Jamaat Ameer of the upazila, Kalimullah, who wasn’t home during the raid.
At around 8pm, police raided the house and broke up the allaged meeting, making 10 arrests. The arrestees included the nine leaders and activists of Jamaat, all women, and journalist leader Abdullah- although police say they are merely interrogating him.
READ: 4 Joypurhat Jamaat leaders held for allegedly planning vandalism
The Jamaat leaders are Mahila Jamaat secretary Shaheda Akter, Jahanara Begum, Lutfun Nahar, Amina Begum, Shahida Akhter, Shahnaz Akhter, Zakia Akhter, Rabia Akhter and Kusum Akhter.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Masukur Rahman of Sonagazi Circle confirmed the arrests, adding that jihadi literature and anti-government propaganda, a membership list and written action plans were also recovered during the raid.
A case was being prepared against them, the ASP said.
READ: Info Minister blames BNP Jamaat for recent anti-Hindu violence
M Abdullah, who already gave his identity as a journalist, is being interrogated. He would be shown arrested with the others if he fails to explain his presence at the house at that time satisfactorily.
M Abdullah said, “Police arrested me while I was visiting my sister's house. I have no idea who was in that house.”