A former Bangladeshi journalist in Montréal with expertise on Bangladeshi political issues stated during a 21 June 1995 telephone interview that the weekly Bichinta is an anti- fundamentalist and anti-autocratic magazine. According to this source, Bichinta is critical of the present government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), as it was of the Ershad government (ibid.). Bichinta supports the position that Bangladesh must have a democratic government (ibid.).

Although unable to provide the political affiliation of the Bichinta, an Associate Professor of Political Science who is also Coordinator of International Studies at Rowen College of New Jersey at Glassboro stated during a 19 June 1995 telephone interview that to his knowledge, the Bichinta is more inclined to report the views of the opposition. According to this professor, this weekly magazine was formerly owned by a family that was fairly active in the Awami League (AL) (ibid.).

The former Bangleshi journalist in Montréal stated that the weekly Robbar is published by Ittefaq, the biggest newspaper publisher in the country (21 June 1995). Ittefaq is owned by two brothers, Mainul Hossain and Hanwar Hossain Manju (ibid.). Mainul Hossain has full control of Robbar and Hanwar Hossain Manju is the editor of the Daily Ittefaq (ibid.). The journalist described Mainul Hossain as a liberal democrat who does not belong to any political party (ibid.). Hanwar Hossain Manju was elected Secretary-General of the Jatiya Party (JP) last month (ibid.).

According to a 1989 document by the Observatoire de l'information entitled L'information dans le monde, Robbar is an independent magazine published by Ittefaq (66)

The journalist in Montréal stated that the editor of the Ajker Kagoj is Colonel Shahed, one of the leaders of the Nirmul committee (21 June 1995). According to this source, Colonel Shahed will seek a nomination as an Awami League candidate for the next elections (ibid). The same source added that the Ajker Kagoj widely publishes news pertaining to the "liberation war" (ibid.).

Additional information on the political affiliations of the Bichinta, the Robbar and the Ajker Kagoj could not be found. However, for information on the closures of these newspapers and attacks against their staff members and offices, please refer to the section on the press freedom of Country Reports for 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1994 as well as to the attachments. These Country Reports are available at your Regional Documentation Centres.

Information on the weekly Purbavash could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find attached the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Associate Professor of Political Science and Coordinator of International Studies at Rowen College of New Jersey, Glassboro, New Jersey. 19 June 1995. Telephone interview.

Former Bangladeshi journalist with expertise on Bangladeshi political issues, Montréal. 21 June 1995. Telephone interview.

Observatoire de l'information. 1989. L'information dans le monde. Paris: Editions du Seuil.

Attachments

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). 1992. Attacks on the Press 1992. New York: CPJ, p. 137.

_____. March 1989. Attacks on the Press 1988: A Worldwide Survey. New York: CPJ, pp. 24-25.

Domestic Service [Dhaka, in English]. 13 January 1988. "Government to Lift Ban on Weekly Robbar." (FBIS-NES-88-009 14 Jan. 1988, p. 64)

Observatoire de l'information. 1989. L'information dans le monde. Paris: Editions du Seuil, pp. 65-67.

Other Sources Consulted

On-line searches and oral sources.