Censorship on Iraqi war coverage in BD

Staff Report

DHAKA: Bangladesh government has clamped censorship on the state-controlled media and asked them to carefully handle news regarding the war on Iraq, said sources on Friday.

An official spokesman for the foreign ministry has asked the Bangladesh media not to highlight news in favour of Iraq and against the United States.

Sources said, following the repeated request from the US embassy in Dhaka, director general of radio, television and the chief editors of news services have been advised not to give importance to news items concerning Iraq.

Earlier the US ambassador met the Bangladesh foreign minister, foreign secretary and other officials of the government. The ambassador had requested the Bangladesh authorities not to highlight public protest against the US.

Senior leaders of the ruling coalition met in a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the US request. Sources said the ruling Bangladesh Nationalists Party (BNP) Secretary general and Local Government and Rural Development Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan has asked leaders of Jamat-e-Islami and Islami Oikya Jote (Islamic Unity), not to organise violent demonstration or rallies.

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