Last February I traveled to Bangladesh to urge the caretaker government to hold democratic elections as soon as possible and to discuss the international war on terror and the rise in Islamic extremism. While in Dhaka, I met with dissident journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury at the U.S. Embassy. Mr. Choudhury is the editor of the Weekly Blitz newspaper. His concerns about the rise of radical Islam and support for a dialogue with Israel led to his arrest and imprisonment.
After being held in prison for 17 months, Mr. Choudhury is now free on bail. He is being tried in his country for sedition, treason and blasphemy. If convicted, Mr. Choudhury could face the death penalty. While out of prison on bail, Mr. Choudhury has been beaten by a mob, repeatedly threatened and intimidated, and had his newspaper offices bombed by radical Islamic extremists.
I cosponsored a bipartisan House resolution urging the government of Bangladesh to drop all charges against Mr. Choudhury, return all of his confiscated property, cease harassment of Mr. Choudhury and to hold accountable those responsible for attacks against Mr. Choudhury. The resolution was passed by the House of Representatives on March 13, 2007. We also sent a letter to Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Advisor of the Caretaker Government in Bangladesh, urging the publication of a timeline describing the process that will result in elections before the end of 2008.
Mr. Choudury’s struggle underscores the importance of political, economic and social reforms in Bangladesh, and we will continue to express our hope that free and fair national elections will be held as soon as possible.