December 12, 2002	Thursday	Shawwal 7, 1423

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DHAKA, Dec 11: Two foreign journalists, detained in Dhaka in the last week of November on charge of anti-Bangladesh activities, were deported this afternoon after “promising” not to “falsely malign” the country.

“Zaiba Malik (a Briton of Pakistani origin), and Bruno Sorrentino (from Italy), who work for Channel 4 network were being deported “as an extraordinary gesture of the government of Bangladesh,” the State minister for foreign affairs, Reaz Rahman, told journalists at a press briefing in Dhaka.

“Both the journalists, Channel 4, and their employers, the Mentorn Production Company, had given a clear undertaking not to malign Bangladesh on false grounds.”

The minister denied that the journalists were released under pressure from the British and Italian governments. The journalists were brought to the foreign ministry under police escort and were not allowed to meet the press.

The journalists’s lawyer, Ajmalul Hossain, QC, told the press that his clients had expressed “sincere regret” for the situation and conceded they had entered Bangladesh improperly on tourist visas and on false professional identities.