Amar Desh to resume publication by December

The newspaper is set to relaunch after being forced to close by the Awami League regime

The daily Amar Desh, shut down during the Awami League government's tenure, is set to return to the newsstands by December, says its Editor and Publisher Mahmudur Rahman.

“No matter the struggle, if Allah wills, we will place Amar Desh back in your hands by December. Amar Desh will raise its voice for expressing opinions," Mahmudur said during a press conference at the National Press Club on Friday morning.

The editor said Amar Desh would speak for independence, oppose Indian expansionism and hegemony, and expose looters and corrupt businessmen in Bangladesh.

He added that the paper would oppose the culture of enforced disappearances and stand for human rights and freedom of expression.

The editor sought cooperation from the interim government for the relaunch of the popular daily.

"By cooperation, I mean ensuring that bureaucratic bottlenecks do not hinder the newspaper. I urge the government to ensure there are no such barriers," he said.

"I hope those in power will not do this," he added.

The daily Amar Desh first hit the market in 2004 during the BNP-Jamaat alliance's rule.

However, it faced the wrath of the Awami League government and has been out of publication since Apr 11, 2013.

The newspaper had previously been suspended for ten days in June 2010 as well.

Coincidentally, both times, its Editor Mahmudur was arrested. After spending three and a half years in jail, he was released on bail in November 2016 and later moved to London.

After five and a half years in exile, he returned to Bangladesh on Sept 27.

Mahmudur mentioned that the directors of Amar Desh have limited financial resources and that the paper is neither a corporate nor a politically affiliated media outlet.

"We run this newspaper on our own efforts," he said.

THEY DESTROYED THE PRINTING PRESS’

Mahmudur accused the government of destroying Amar Desh's printing press, calling it a fascist act. "Unable to destroy me, they tore apart the printing press of Amar Desh. This is Sheikh Hasina’s fascist character," he said.

He criticised other editors for their silence on the issue. "Not a single editor protested, and that is the reality of the media."

The editor estimated the financial damage to be over Tk 350 million. "The damage to the press machinery and fixed assets at that time amounted to over Tk 250 million. The loss of working capital, including newsprint, was around Tk 100 million."

Following the reopening of Amar Desh's printing press in Tejgaon on Tuesday, Mahmudur outlined his plans.

"I have no business interests. My only wish is to run this newspaper and write. Once it is back on its feet, I will retire," he said.

"We have no funds. We have finalised arrangements to print the newspaper at another press for now. However, we still need an office, computers, and technology to restart publication," he added.

‘MEDIA OWNERS, EDITORS NEED REFORM’

Mahmudur argued that Amar Desh had always been the voice against fascism and in defence of Bangladesh’s sovereignty. He believes this is why other media owners and editors could not tolerate it.

"So when Amar Desh was destroyed, it made Sheikh Hasina happy, and I am sure it also pleased most of the media owners and editors," he said.

He added, “While we hear talk about media reform, the editors and owners of the media need reform more than anyone else. This is most important. I will give you two examples to understand the character of these people. Abul Asad, the senior editor of Daily Sangram, was brutally humiliated by Chhatra League thugs, who dragged him by his beard from his office.

"Where were all the editors then? Did anyone speak out? Where was NOAB (Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh)? Did NOAB protest at that time?"

Giving another example, Mahmudur said: “The late Moinul Hosein was the editor of the Daily Ittefaq. He was humiliated on the court premises by a group of women, who claimed to be members of the Chhatra League. Did you hear any protest from NOAB or the Editors' Council regarding this?”

He continued, “So, these are the very people we need to raise our voices against, these owners and editors. The entire nation should raise its voice against them because, for the past 16 years, these media outlets have been working as accomplices to fascism.”

"Let’s not forget that fascism grew so powerful under Hasina not only because of the role of the bureaucracy, police, army, and businessmen but also because of the media," he concluded.