Journalists covering the Bangladesh Secretariat beat have announced a boycott of the health ministry press conferences until the release of reporter Rozina Islam on bail over charges under official secrets law.
The Prothom Alo senior correspondent was confined inside a room of the Secretariat in Dhaka for more than five hours on Monday before being turned over to the police.
Accused of spiriting away “important” documents and taking photos of the papers, Rozina denies any wrongdoing. Her family rather alleged she was abused during the confinement.
Members of the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum or BSRF stayed away from a media briefing arranged by the health ministry to explain the case against Rozina at 11 am on Tuesday.
Later they took the decision to boycott the health ministry's briefing in a meeting.
The journalists' forum also decided to demonstrate outside the National Press Club at 11 am on Wednesday for the unconditional release of Rozina, withdrawal of the case and punishment of the officials who “harassed” her, BSRF President Tapan Biswas said in a statement.
The forum will announce its next programme after a meeting with the other organisations of journalists. A memorandum for her release will be sent to Information Minister Hasan Mahmud.
A Dhaka court turned down an appeal from the police to interrogate Rozina in their custody.
The court will hear her appeal for bail on Thursday.
