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Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury was imprisoned for 17 months after being charged with sedition on November 29, 2003. The Bangladeshi journalist put himself in a highly precarious position by openly advocating relations between Israel and Bangladesh, along with all Muslim nations.
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By Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
November 14, 2006
As some of you are aware, Bangladesh is currently experiencing serious political problems, and on 13th November the entire country was under the 'Blockade' programs of a major political party. Naturally, there was no vehicle on the road, and in every other place, there was a large number of angry demonstrators chanting slogans.
I woke up in the early morning to prepare for the court. By 8:30 am., I was already on my way. And, there was nothing on the road, except some bicycles and rickshaws. I had to walk for around 3 kilometers, before I could somehow manage a rickshaw (distance between my residence and the court is above 20 kilomemeters). Then the rickshaw was stopped at one point, almost two kilometers away from the court, by police, who put barricades on roads. Then I had to walk again. By the time I was inside the court building, I was sweating. Till now, winter has not been very much experienced in Dhaka.
The Court picked up my case at 1:35 pm., and there was a hearing for around 10 minutes. The judge, Mohammed Momin Ullah, asked the Public Prosecutor to read the charge in front of me. He came and read, "By praising the Jews and Christians, by attempting to travel to Israel and by predicting the so-called rise of Islamist millitancy in the country and expressing such through writings inside the country and abroad, you have tried to damage the image and relations of Bangladesh with the outside world. For which, charges under section 295-A, 120-A, 124-A, 105-A and 108-A are brought against you. Are you guilty or not"? he asked.
I replied, "I am not guilty." By advocating inter-faith dialogue, supporting relations between Bangladesh and Israel, I have not done anything wrong. Regarding the existence of Islamist radicals in this country, the matter is already endorsed several times by country's press, leaders, administration and judiciary. Continuation of this false case will open the doors for JMB criminals, whose death penalty issue is now in the higher court, in getting legal benefit. I firmly stand on my position'. Then my lawyers told the court that they will challenge this decision to the higher court.
The angry judge, a radical, then asked the Public Prosecutor to call the witnesses on 22nd Janaury 2007.
What a 'great New Year gift' from the radical judge! Isn't it?
May I request you all to kindly consider the following points:
- The government should end all forms of harrassments on me
- The travel ban on Israel should be immediately withdrawn
- Israeli news media should have access to Bangladesh (presently Bangladesh does not permit appointment of representatives of any of the Israeli media),
- Bangladesh should immediately begin relations with Israel,
- Provocative sermons (instigating people towards scalled jihad and bloodshed) in mosques and madrassas against Jews and Christians should be banned,
- Demand immediate removal of radical judge Momin Ullah from the Metropolitan Session Judge's court, and sacked,
- Legal proceedings should be immediately drawn against him for his alliance with Islamist radicals,
- Government to ensure immediate security to me (police protection at my residence is not yet back, despite two letters to the President),
- Radical leader Mufti Noorani, who exploded a bomb in our office in July and the attackers belongs to BNP's cultural wing, should be immediately arrested,
- Cash US$ 3,000 and other valuables, which had been seized during my arrest should be immediately returned.
Thus my day in court.
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
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