Renowned Bangladeshi photographer, activist rots in jail
Dhaka, Sep 10: Renowned Bangladeshi photographer and social activist Shahidul Alam has been languishing in jail for a month, his lawyer said on Monday, a day before a court is set to hear his bail petition.
The internationally-acclaimed photographer was arrested in the first week of August following his interview by a news channel in which he criticized the Bangladeshi government's violent response to a peaceful protest by students demanding greater road safety.
Alam's lawyer Jyotirmay Barua hoped that the court would rule in his favour on Tuesday. "There is a move to frustrate us. May be the government is annoyed with him for some reason," Barua told Efe news, adding that Alam would not be present at the hearing.
The lawyer added that a judge at the Metropolitan court in Dhaka had fixed the date for the hearing on September 11 although Alam was detained on August 6. Two petitions to bring forward the date of the hearing were rejected by the courts.
Alam's lawyers had also appealed to the Dhaka high court but it refused to look into the matter without providing any explanation, Barua said.
"This is embarrassing for the whole country. No one is able to speak here. If someone speaks up, he is facing jail or fine," the lawyer said, referring to the defamation charges against Alam.
The police accused the veteran photographer of defaming the government and spreading rumours on the social media regarding the demonstrations.
The photographer's family told Efe that they were concerned about his health, especially as Alam had accused the police of torturing him on the first day of his detention.
"The way he was picked up was unjust, his police remand was unjust. The High Court ordered an examination after he complained of torture but they (the authorities) instead checked his physical fitness," Alam's wife Rahnuma Ahmed said.
Alam was shifted to a new cell on last Friday, with better facilities, including attached bathroom, a bed, a chair and an access to library.
Alam's detention was globally condemned as a crackdown on free speech in Bangladesh.
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4 workers die after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad
Dhanbad (Jharkhand) (PTI): At least four workers died after being buried under coal slurry in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Saturday, a police official said.
The incident took place at Moonidih coal washery in the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).
"Bodies of all four workers were dug out of debris during a rescue operation," Putki police station in-charge Waqar Hussain told PTI.
The incident took place when coal slurry was being loaded into trucks by workers, during which a large chunk of slurry fell and trapped several workers underneath, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Manik Bauri, Dinesh Bauri, Deepak Bauri, and Hemlal Gope.
Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased and local villagers placed the bodies in front of the washery gate and began a protest.
They demanded compensation, jobs for dependents and action against those responsible for the incident.
Police and administration officials are trying to pacify the protesters, an official said.
