Censorship

In the past few weeks there have been three episodes of official, heavy-handed censorship of the media in Bangladesh.

1] The GoB blocked Facebook for a time on the grounds that it was running a competition encouraging cartoonists to mock Mohammad. This brought out the fundamentalists to the streets, something the GoB fears in any circumstances. Facebook was blocked on the grounds that it was offensive to Bangladeshi culture and religious sentiments. It was then revealed that people had also been uploading satirical cartoons published on the site of Sheikh Hasina and Khalida as well. An arrest has been made and the ban on Facebook lifted after negotiations with the management. This episode required mor eresearch.

2] Amar Desh has been banned and its editor arrested on technical reasons. I need to find out more about this as well but I know that 'liberal' and progressive friends are appalled by this move even thought they disagree with the politics of the paper.

3] Channel-1 has been taken off air for technical reasons. Again more research is required.

The thing here is that the Awami League came to power with a thumping majority and a broad appeal that stemmed from its more liberal approach to social and political matters. While it was sensitive to tradition it had a program of modernisation and tolerance. It seems that it has reverted to the time honoured tradition of answering criticism with censorship and closure, which totally undermines its appeal and electoral support among the educated urban middle classes.

More on this shortly.