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Anti Semitic people in Associated Press
Added: (Sun May 04 2008)
Following the publication of my recent article titled ‘Press Under Attack in Bangladesh’, which was published in a number of global newspapers, I received several mails from various individuals and journalists from Bangladesh expressing thanks for putting focus on this extremely important issue, while a journalist named Ms. Parveen Ahmed, who works with Associated Press (AP) in Dhaka (Bangladesh) as well an unidentified individual named Syful Islam sent me two separate mails, almost at the same time expressing their anti-Semitic attitude.
I had no problem with the mail from ‘Syful Islam’ for anti-Semitic comment as he did not disclose his identity and although he tries to paint internationally acclaimed journalist Mr. Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury as “not a good man”, I know such allegations are mere dog barking against a real Moslem hero of moderation. Islamists will always dislike Mr. Choudhury for his anti-Islamist and pro-Semitic as well as pro-Israel stand. And, Syful is possibly one of the Osama Bin Laden pals. But, my confusions greatly turned into anger, when a local journalist working with American Associated Press (AP) named Ms. Parveen Ahmed could send me her anti-Israel comments in a very nasty manner, thus exposing the fact that possibly Dhaka’s AP office is filled with anti-Semitic and anti-Israel elements. I can always start believing that, these people are also pro-Islamist and pals of Al Qaida.
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is a Bangladeshi journalist. Internationally known anti Jihadist award winning Bangladeshi journalist and editor of Dhaka’s most influential newspaper, Weekly Blitz, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is also facing trial in sedition, treason and blasphemy charges for confronting radical Islam and jihad, advocating inter faith understanding and for demanding Bangladesh’s relations with Israel. For past five years, Choudhury is facing extreme adversity as well as mental and financial constraint for his courageous stand against Islamists. His office was bombed while there had never been any action by the former BNP-Islamist Coalition government. There had not been any action against the attackers [belonging to Cultural wing of Bangladesh Nationalist Party], who attacked and physically assaulted him in October 2006. The present government is also playing dilly-dally in taking any action against the criminal officers in Rapid Action Battalion [Unit-3] for abducting the editor and another member of Weekly Blitz of 18 March 2007, looting cash and valuables and for total reign of terror. Despite repeated written complaints with the chief advisor as well as army chief, looted items have not been returned yet.
Mr. Choudhury received Freedom to Write Award from PEN USA in 2005, American Jewish Committee’s prestigious Moral Courage Award in 2006, Monaco Media Award in 2007 and many other awards and recognitions from international community.
Commenting on Shoaib Choudhury, The New York Times in its editorial said, "Bangladesh may now be among the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists. That makes, Mr. Choudhury’s courageous stand for Muslim-Jewish dialogue all the more admirable and vital to defend."
The Washington Times in its editorial said, "The United States must encourage people like Mr. Choudhury to speak out. But when they do, it also should do all it can to protect them. Freeing Mr. Choudhury will tell others like him that when you stand against Islamists, the United States will stand with you."
The New York Sun wrote, "Mr. Choudhury is a man in the mold of such heroes of freedom as Vaclav Havel and Lech Walesa."
The Berliner Zeitung wrote, "Would Choudhury consider it, if along with this acknowledgement the request also nevertheless came to give up his fight and to free the family from their state of siege? The family would have enough money to lead a calm life abroad, and they would have a good chance of leaving Bangladesh despite the current legal proceedings. But for Choudhury his struggle has long ago become his. Who leaves the battleground, has lost, he says. However, whoever struggles for the right cause always wins."
The Australian wrote, "This is why we ought to be taking notice of Choudhury. It’s not just a question of saving one man’s life. He is part of a threat that is facing all of us. And he is on the right side in a very long battle of ideas."
The Daily Pennsylvanian wrote, "Now that we’ve found a man willing to advocate for peace and denouncing extremism, we must seize the opportunity. No one else will speak out if we allow those who already have spoken to die."
The Jerusalem Post wrote, "In this tense atmosphere, Choudhury has paid a very heavy price for his beliefs. In November 2003, he was arrested at Dhaka’s international airport just prior to boarding a flight on his way to Israel, where he has been scheduled to deliver an address on promoting understanding between Muslims and Jews."
The Australian Israel Review wrote, "Shoaib in an outspoken supporter of Muslim-Jewish and Muslim-Christian dialogue, opposes anti-Israel" maximalism and has exposed the agents and activities of Islamists who have been gaining in strength and influence in his country."
The Suburban in its editorial wrote, "They are neither. They work alone, with no support, forging ahead to bring the truth into open. The International Press Freedom Awards that recognizes courage in journalism is an important event that brings the plight of these journalists to light. But it’s not enough. They deserve encouragement and support because in dangerous situations, they champion everything we hold dear, and often take for granted."
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is possibly the most quoted Bangladeshi journalists in the global media. But, authorities in Dhaka are reluctant in recognizing his courage. To them, he is a ´bad man´. To the Islamists, he is an ´evil´. To journalists selling their ideologies in exchange of few leafs of bucks, Choudhury is ´a paranoid´.
But to United States Congress, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is a real hero. US Congress, Australian Senate and European Parliament have passed resolutions in favor of this courageous man. Unfortunately, in the eyes of rulers in Dhaka, people like Choudhury are headache. That is why possibly, the present military emergency government in Bangladesh has listed Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury in the list of 1608 black listed journalists thus terming them as ´not journalists´ and instructing authorities concerned not to issue press accreditation cards to them.
To my utter surprise, to Ms. Parveen Ahmed, who is an employee with Associated Press office in Dhaka, Weekly Blitz is an ‘under ground newspaper’. Look into her naive ness and ignorance on local media. She even tries to justify the sedition charge, former BNP-Islamist coalition government brought against Choudhury by commenting, “And as far as I know, Soheb Choudhury was arrested for violation of our passport laws. He was trying to travel to Israel on a Bangladeshi passport. Bangladesh doesn't recognize Israel, and it is forbidden for Bangladeshi citizens to travel or have any contacts with Israel. If anyone does, it's considered as "fraternizing with the enemy," or sedition. He knew the law, but decided to flout it anyway.”
Look, here an employee with Associated Press publicizes saying that, keeping relations with Israel is an offence like Sedition, which bears capital punishment. I really do not know who paid Ms. Parveen Ahmed for making such comment. But, such extreme anti-Israel and anti –Semitic mind will tell us all that by housing people like Parveen Ahmed, Associated Press has certainly lost its complete neutrality and credibility. That is why, possibly, American news agency in Bangladesh was either silent on defending Shoaib Choudhury or even joined the orchestrated propaganda against him.
Ms. Parveen Ahmed claims that “Blitz is financed by outside forces”. How does she know that or so sure of that fact, if she (as she wrote) “have never seen a copy” of that newspaper? Weekly Blitz has a wide readership for its print edition as well as online edition. I know many people in the world are regularly receiving copies of this newspaper. And, if Ms. Parveen will go to Google, she will see that, from Bangladesh Weekly Blitz news and articles are also picked on a regular basis by Google News Search. Has she ever visited Weekly Blitz online edition? I know, it is useless to give any justification to an Islamist like her who already has a pre-set mind. But, my point is, if she hates Israel and Jews that much, why she is not trying to find her bread from any Islamist news agency?
I am even confused if the American news agency in Bangladesh has taken any agenda of spreading anti-Israel, anti-Semitic and even anti-American notions in that country. To my knowledge and records, many of the former leftists are already employed with Associated Press office in Dhaka. Hostile attitude of AP was not only towards Mr. Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury. People in Washington, especially US policymakers should immediately investigate this extremely important matter.