Journalists boycott health ministry briefing on Rozina Islam

Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters' Forum (BSRF) and Bangladesh Health Reporters' Forum (BHRF) have boycotted a press conference arranged by the Health Ministry as part of their protest against the harassment of Prothom Alo's Senior Reporter Rozina Islam. 

The conference was scheduled to be held at 11 am Tuesday at the Secretariat.

All journalists left the briefing room after BSRF Secretary Shamim Ahmed declared to boycott the conference. 

BSRF will announce the next programme following an emergency meeting of the executive committee on Tuesday, the notice read. 

Rozina Islam was detained for allegedly taking snapshots of an official document at the Secretariat without due permission.

The incident took place on Monday afternoon when Rozina went to the health ministry inside the Secretariat as part of professional duty around 3:30pm. At one stage, she was locked in a room there and her mobile phone was confiscated.

Hours after detention, the case has been filed against her under the Official Secrets Act.

Health Services Division's (HSD) Deputy Secretary Sibbir Ahmed Osmani filed the case with Shahbagh police station on Monday midnight, said Harunur Rashid, additional deputy commissioner (Ramna Division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Two more charges were brought against the senior journalist under 379 and 411 sections of the penal code.

Journalists from different media outlets staged protest inside Shahbagh police station demanding immediate release of Rozina Islam, and resignation of health minister and secretary.

Besides, leaders of journalists' organizations also condemned the harassment.