The Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) has expressed dismay at the physical harassment meted out to Rozina Islam, senior correspondent of Daily Prothom Alo, at the Bangladesh Secretariat and handing her over to Police last Monday.

The association made the statement in a press release signed by its President AK Azad and Vice-President ASM Shahidullah Khan.

Rozina Islam, who was on professional work at the secretariat was confined to a room for five hours and underwent physical and verbal intimidation with her mobile phone sets being searched, read the release.

NOAB observed that Islam is a known name for her honest investigative journalistic practices; and that this might have irked a section of the officialdom.

Also Read: Amnesty: Rozina Islam must not be punished for her journalistic work

There are specific ways and forums established by law to react to and contradict published reports, the statement said. However, detaining a professional journalist, and that too a lady, for five hours in a closed room and haranguing her in the worst possible manner do not go well with the set standards of decency and press freedom, NOAB mentioned.

NOAB, along with the working journalists, have been trying hard to keep afloat newspaper-publication through investment, hard work and dedication in these trying times.

However, incidents like the one faced by Ms Rozina Islam would deter honest journalism and create a bad precedent. The NOAB statement urged the appropriate authorities for unconditional release of Rozina Islam and bringing those responsible for Monday’s incident at the Bangladesh Secretariat to book.