Prolonged detention without trial, denials of bail are unwarranted: NOAB chief

Keeping any individual under custody for an unusually longer period and denying bail repeatedly are not practices consistent with the idea of the “rule of law,” said Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, president of the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB).

The issue should be resolved, he said, referring to the reported arbitrary harassment of 496 individuals by law enforcers during the interim government’s tenure.

The list also includes 266 journalists.

NOAB has already requested Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s intervention on the matter, and hopefully, the issue will be will be resolved soon, said Matiur, also the Editor-in-Chief of Manabzamin, during a recent media interview.

On 4 July, a day after the World Press Freedom Day, the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) revealed that vested parties exploited the public anger over July Uprising atrocities to inflict legal repercussions on 496 people.

Many were implicated for causing violent attacks on protesters during the uprising, and on other allegations relating to authoritarian measures adopted by the Awami League government, which was ultimately ousted in the mass movement.

When asked about the harassment, Assistant Inspector General of Police AHM Shahadat Hossain, spokesman at the Police Headquarters, said the investigation agencies have reviewed every case at their disposal.

If anyone was found unconnected to a crime, the investigation officer recommended dropping the name before filing charges.