Three senior Bangladeshi journalists of a pro-opposition newspaper were today remanded in police custody for publishing a "false" report that Indian forces had helped the government contain violence during the recent controversial polls.
The Inqilab daily published the false report on a "joint forces" drive in Satkhira to spoil the relationship between Bangladesh and India, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu told reporters today.
The report was published to cause a riot in Bangladesh and insult the joint forces members, he said.
Inu, also president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, spoke to journalists after a meeting of his party's executive committee at Bangabandhu Avenue, The Daily Star reported.
The minister's comments came a day after detectives raided the office of the Dhaka-based Bangla-language daily. They picked up three journalists, sealed off the press, plate-making and server rooms and seized three computers.
The drive was conducted hours after police filed a case against the newspaper for publishing "baseless" news that the Bangladesh government took assistance from Indian security forces to contain protests in the southwestern district of Satkhira, which borders India, ahead of January 5 elections.
News editor Rabiulla Ulla Robi, deputy chief reporter Rafiq Mohammad and diplomatic correspondent Ahmmed Atiq were today sent to jail by a Dhaka court.
The court fixed Monday for hearing the remand and bail petitions of the arrested, Dhaka Tribune reported.
The arrests came on a day when BNP chief Khaleda Zia met Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran and said her party wants to maintain good relations with India.
After the meeting, BNP Vice-Chairman Shamser Mobin Chowdhury quoted Saran as saying, "The High Commissioner said his government wants to work with a government the people of Bangladesh desire.
"Responding to that the BNP Chairperson said that BNP wanted to have good relations with India based on mutual respect and benefit. We will maintain good ties with India."
The Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which is criticised by the opposition as being too close to India, won the elections marred by an opposition boycott, deadly violence and deaths.
