Government has not taken legal action against Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman to intimidate journalists, Dr Salim Mahmud says

Awami League Information and Research Secretary Dr Salim Mahmud has claimed that Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman wanted to destroy the country's politics by creating a political vacuum.

The Awami League leader made the remark while talking about a statement issued by the global forum of journalists Reporters Without Borders that condemned a case filed against Matiur Rahman and Prothom Alo journalist Samsuzzaman Shams over a report that allegedly undermined the freedom of the country on Independence Day.

He said: "The Bangladesh government has not taken legal action against Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman to intimidate journalists."

The case was filed for the sake of the country's constitution, law, state security, journalistic principles and public order, he said, adding that foreign journalists may not know the past history of Bangladesh.

The Prothom Alo editor was once active in intimidating the state, he said.

Salim Mahmud claimed that he the Prothom Alo editor wanted to rid Bangladesh of political leaders.

He mentioned that Matiur Rahman wrote in his newspaper with his byline that “the two leaders (Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina) must step down.” 

“I do not know whether any newspaper editor of any democratic country has played such a heinous role,” said Dr Salim.

He has not only conspired against politicians or against politics but has conspired against the supreme law of the country and the constitution which reflects the sacred will of the people, he added. 

Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which works with global journalists, in a statement on Thursday protested the case against Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman under the Digital Security Act.