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A UN expert on human rights defenders and different international organisations have condemned the attack on the brother of UK-based Bangladeshi journalist Zulkarnain Saer Khan Sami and demanded a fair probe.
In a tweet last night, Mary Lawlor, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders said she was very concerned to hear reports of an assault in Dhaka on Mahinur Khan, Zulkarnain’s brother, reports The Daily Star.
“Very concerned to hear reports of an assault in Dhaka on the brother of UK-based Bangladeshi journalist & HRD @ZulkarnainSaer. Khan has reported on alleged high-level corruption in #Bangladesh. I hope to see a swift investigation & call for the protection of Khan’s family,” she tweeted.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in a statement yesterday said that Bangladesh authorities must conduct an immediate and impartial investigation into the attack on Mahinur and ensure the safety of his family.
“The attack on the brother of Bangladeshi journalist Zulkarnain Saer Khan is the latest case of families of journalists in exile being targeted back home,” said Beh Lih Yi, CPJ’s Asia programme coordinator.
“Bangladesh has built a reputation in this heinous form of transnational vengeance. Authorities must ensure the perpetrators of this attack are held accountable and that the Khan family can live safely,” he said.
Quoting Zulkarnain Saer, CPJ said locals informed the family that the attackers were supporters of Humayoun Rashid Jony, a Dhaka official and member of the Awami League.
Jony responded to CPJ’s request for comment sent via messaging app, saying, “I have no history of violence in my life.”
He did not immediately respond to CPJ’s calls and messages requesting further comment.
CPJ said it has previously documented retaliations against the family members of foreign-based Bangladeshi journalists, including the September 2022 arrests of the brothers of UK-based Shamsul Alam Liton and Abdur Rab Bhuttow, and the October 2021 arrest of the sister of US-based Kanak Sarwar. Those journalists’ siblings have been released on bail, the journalists told CPJ.
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a global network of investigative journalists, said investigative journalist Zukarnain was previously targeted for reporting about corruption.He worked on an award-winning Al Jazeera documentary about state graft, favoritism and human rights abuses in Bangladesh and as soon as it aired in 2021, authorities in Dhaka labelled the film as false and politically motivated, it said.
Zulkarnain fled Bangladesh, settled in the UK and has since worked with the OCCRP on another investigation that revealed more corruption in the ruling party’s circle. The story again rocked Bangladesh and has prompted investigations.
“Apparently unable to reach Saer Khan in the UK, forces in Bangladesh appear to have turned on his family there,” said OCCRP.
“It’s cowardly to attack an innocent family member of a journalist for their story,” said OCCRP Publisher Drew Sullivan. “These political parties are showing their true colours as violent criminal thugs.”
The US embassy in Dhaka condemned the attack.
“We hope the case is thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice,” a statement from acting US embassy spokesperson Bryan Schiller said.
