The government of Bangladesh has shut down the publication of The Amar Desh, one of the largest circulated bengali dailies in Bangladesh. One of the government intelligence agency National Security Intelligence (NSI) picked up Mr Alhaj Md. Hasmat Ali, the publisher of the newspaper and made him sign complaints to the police and Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka claiming that his name as publisher as being illegally used by the present owner of the company Amar Desh Publications Ltd., that he is not in anyway responsible for the reports and comments criticizing the government and ruling party leaders. We understand that in the complaints he has asked the police and the Deputy Commissioner to take action against the acting Editor of the Daily Amar Desh, Mahmudur Rahman and present owner of the company. Later NSI forced Mr. Hasmot Ali to file a cheating case (under CRPC 420) and at night DC cancelled the declaration of Amar Desh and government sent police to sealed Amar Desh press and arrest Amar Desh Editor.

Earlier NSI interrogated Hasmot Ali but the allegations against Amar Desh editor are factually incorrect. The reality is that as soon Mr Hasmat Ali and his fellow directors of Amar Desh Publications Ltd. lawfully transferred the ownership and shares of the company to the present directors in September, 2008. The new directors had formally applied to the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka to change the publisher name in favor of Mahmudur Rahman according to the company board decision. It is the Deputy Commissioner hence the government which has not yet formally made the change in the declaration of authentication. The fact is that change in ownership of the company with Mr Mahmudur Rahman as chairman and managing director has been communicated to all relevant authorities and the transfer of the controlling shares has been duly registered with register of Joint Stock Companies. So neither Mr. Hasmat Ali or any government officials or agencies has any ground to accuse the Amar Desh of illegally using Mr. Hasmat Ali's name.
It may be noted here that at no stage since last about one and half years the Deputy Commissioners office or the Information Ministry or the DFP, with whom we have raised any question about the legality of publication of the newspaper. More specifically the Deputy Commissioner has at no stage till now informed the present owners of Amar Desh Publication company that he can't or will not allow a change in the name of publisher.
Therefore, what has happened today is a blatant attempt by the government to stop or at least temporary obstrain the publication of Amar Desh by force. It may be mentioned that a adviser to the Prime Minister and leaders of the ruling party have so far filed as many as 32 cases of deformation against Mr. Mahmudur Rahman and concern reporters of this daily. These cases also include Mr Hasmat Ali as an accused.