PARIS: Warning that the escalating violence against the Bangladeshi Press “threatens press freedom” in that country, two major media watchdog organisations — Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) and the Bangladesh Centre for Development, Journalism and Communication (BCDJC) — have revealed in a major new 15,000-word report that with 145 journalists assaulted or targeted with death threats, one reporter murdered, 16 newsrooms or press clubs brutally attacked and four journalists detained by the authorities in scarcely over eight months, Bangladesh “is by far the country with the highest incidents of violence against members of the press.”

Paradoxically, however, notes Vincent Brossel, the principal author of the report - and RSF’s principal specialist on the Asia-Pacific - “this South Asian country has never enjoyed a greater plurality of information sources. The print and electronic media especially television have actually been enjoying very rapid growth over the last five years.”

The report was done with the cooperation of the Bangladesh Centre for Development, Journalism and Communication, which is a member of the RSF Network, and, notes Brossel, “was made possible through the financial support of the European Commission.” Nevertheless, he noets, “the opinions expressed herein are solely those of RSF and the BCDJC and should not be construed as representing, in any manner whatsoever, the official views of the European Commission,” although adds a source at RSF, the European Commission is “very concerned” about what is happening in Bangladesh, could very well decide, as a result, to restrain the financial assistance provided by the EC to Bangladesh.

“Not a single day goes by without the press reporting an assault or death threat against a journalist,” notes in the report Nayeemul Islam Khan, Advisory Editor of the daily Ajker Kagoj. “This endemic violence against news media professionals is, to say the least, endangering press freedom in our country.”

The report is based on the findings of a RSF fact-finding team that visited Bangladesh from 3 to 10 March 2002, and where its representatives had the opportunity to meet with journalists, managing editors, human rights activists, lawyers, the Minister of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs, the Principal Information Officer for the government of Bangladesh, and families of murdered journalists.

Their mission was carried out in collaboration with the Bangladesh Centre for Develop-ment, Journalism and Communi-cation (BCDJC), a member of the RSF Network, which is considered as one of the more aggressive and effective press watchdog organisations in Asia.

The perpetrators of 90 per cent of the assaults, adds Mr Brossel, “have been identified as political militants, mafia groups, offenders, and police officers, according to Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Executive Director of Media Watch, a Bangladeshi organisation defending freedom of the press.