Media Freedom Coalition expresses concern over closing of Dainik Dinkal
Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) in Bangladesh has expressed concern about the government's recent decision to cancel the declaration (authorisation to publish) of the Dainik Dinkal.
"A free press and free speech play a key role in a transparent democracy," said a press release issued by the MFC on Friday (24 February).
The press release was signed by the undersigned members of MFC United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, and Australia.
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Dainik Dinkal on Monday (20 February) said the Dhaka district authorities had ordered the shutdown on 26 December last year, but it continued to publish after filing an appeal at the Press Council headed by a top high court judge.
"The council rejected our appeal yesterday [on Sunday], upholding the district magistrate's order to stop our publication," said Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, managing editor of the newspaper on Monday.
The order said the printing permit of the newspaper was cancelled after it violated the country's printing and publication laws, reports Al Jazeera quoting AFP news agency. The council said the paper's publisher, Tarique Rahman – the acting chief of BNP – was a convicted criminal and was living abroad without handing over his job to another person.
Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas said Tarique Rahman, now based in London, submitted his resignation and appointed a new publisher, but the authorities did not accept the changes.
