Farzana Rupa is a Bangladeshi journalist and former principal correspondent of Ekattor TV.[1][2]
Career
editRupa was awarded the Ananya Top Ten in 2013.[3] She hosted a debate between Shamim Osman and Selina Hayat Ivy following the Seven Murders of the Narayanganj which turned contentious and clips of show went viral afterwards.[4]
In April 2015, Rupa received threats over her coverage of the Pohela Boishakh sexual assault incident in which 20 women were assaulted by groups of young men during Pohela Boishakh.[5] She was threatened by Ansarullah Bangla Team, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, and Bangladesh Awami Olama League.[5] She told The New York Times that she was scared to cover the Attacks by Islamic extremists in Bangladesh after receiving threats on her Facebook account.[6]
Rupa interviewed Taslima Nasreen, exile author and critic of Islam, in June 2017.[7][8] She had been attacked in Newcastle, United Kingdom allegedly by activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami which was condemned by Dhaka Reporters Unity and the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists in 2018.[9][10] They snatched the camera of Ekattor TV.[11]
Anti-discrimination Student Movement Coordinator, Abdul Kader and Abdul Hannan Masud, called for a ban on 50 journalists including Rupa and her husband and accused them of 'crimes against humanity' for supporting the Awami League government on 8 August 2024 after the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.[12] They were then fired from Ekattor TV.[12]
In April 2021, Rupa was declared unwanted in Ashulia after Prothom Alo correspondent Shamsuzzaman was detained by the Criminal Investigation Department following a report by her.[13]
During the quota movement, Rupa questioned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the issue during a press conference on her trip to China and her answer worsen the situation.[14]
Rupa was detained by Detective Branch from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport while trying to fly to France with her husband Shakil Ahmed.[15] They were stopped despite securing permission from immigration authorities and multiple intelligence agencies.[15] They allegedly did not have permission from Special Branch.[16] Editors' Council, Committee to Protect Journalists, and the Broadcast Journalist Center expressed concern over their arrest.[17][18][19] They are the first two journalist detained by an Interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus formed after the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.[20] They were charged with inciting violence by supporting the former government and the Awami League according to the public persecutor Omar Faruque Faruqui.[20] They were placed in four day remand by a court in Dhaka.[21] Reporters Without Borders called for a fair trial for them.[22] They were sued in another murder case in Jatrabari along with five other journalists, Ahmed Zobair of Somoy TV, Munni Saha of ATN Bangla, Syed Ishtiaq Reza of Global Television, and Nayeemul Islam Khan.[23]
Rupa was sent to jail Magistrate Farzana Shakila Sumu Chowdhury after rejecting her bail petition.[24]
Personal life
editRupa is married to Shakil Ahmed, journalist and head of news of Ekattor TV.[15]
References
edit- ^ "Journalist couple Shakil, Rupa in police custody". Journalist couple Shakil, Rupa in police custody. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ "BFUJ condemns attack on Ekattor TV journalist in UK". www.thefinancetoday.net. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ "Ananya awards 10 women". The Daily Star. 2013-08-27. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ "TV tiff turns ugly". Bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ a b "Rupa gets death threat for report on sexual assault". Dhaka Tribune. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ^ Barry, Ellen (2015-11-03). "Fear and Silence in Bangladesh as Militants Target Intellectuals". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ Farzana Rupa (2017-06-20). Farzana Rupa with Taslima nasreen. Retrieved 2024-08-21 – via YouTube.
- ^ Salles, Alain (2002-09-26). "Bangladeshi author's book banned for attack on Islam". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ Hossain, Athar (21 August 2018). "ফারজানা রুপার ওপর হামলায় ডিআরইউর উদ্বেগ". Swadhindesh -স্বাধীনদেশ (in Bengali). Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ "Attack on Ekattor TV journalist condemned | The Asian Age Online, Bangladesh". The Asian Age. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ "Miscreants on motorbike snatch away Ekattor TV's camera from London street". Miscreants on motorbike snatch away Ekattor TV’s camera from London street. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ a b "Journalists Shakil Ahmed, Farzana Rupa sacked from Ekattor Television". The Financial Express. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ "সাংবাদিক ফারজানা রুপাকে অবাঞ্ছিত ঘোষণা". ঢাকাপ্রকাশ. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ একাত্তর টিভির সেই ফারজানা রূপা এখন কোথায়?| Farzana Rupa | Shakil | Ekattor Tv | Daily ittefaq. 2024-08-19. Retrieved 2024-08-21 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c "Journalist couple Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa detained". Prothomalo. 2024-08-21. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ "Journo couple Shakil, Rupa detained by immigration". The Business Standard. 2024-08-21. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- ^ "Arrest of journos Shakil-Rupa in murder case concerning: Editors' Council". The Business Standard. 2024-08-22. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "'Press freedom at risk': BJC expresses concern over arrest of journo couple Shakil, Rupa". The Business Standard. 2024-08-24. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "CPJ urges procedural rights of journalist couple Shakil, Rupa". New Age. 23 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Journalist duo arrested in Bangladesh for 'inciting violence'". Union of Catholic Asian News. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "Journalists Shakil, Rupa placed on 4-day remand". Prothomalo. 2024-08-22. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "RSF calls for fair trial and safety for Farzana Rupa, Shakil Ahmed". bfirst.news. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "যাত্রাবাড়ী থানার এক মামলায় সাত সাংবাদিক আসামি". Prothomalo (in Bengali). 2024-08-25. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "Shakil Ahmed, Farzana Rupa sent to jail - - observerbd.com". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 2024-08-31.