Media Helping Media

Photojournalist Shahidul Alam has been granted bail after appearing in court following his arrest by Bangladeshi border guards. It was the second time Alam had been arrested in 24 hours. The second arrest came hours after Alam was detained and interrogated for six hours by Indian border security guards (BSF). Alam was kept in custody overnight and appear in court in Kurigram this morning. Supporters had been calling on the international media freedom organisations to campaign for his release.

Please note: The following report has been compiled using information from emails and text message that were circulated by Shahidul Alam's friends and supports during the time of his arrest, interrogation and trial. No effort has been made to provide balance. The piece is purely a record of the news as it came in.

Photojournalist Shahidul Alam has been granted bail after appearing in court following his arrest by Bangladeshi border guards. It was the second time Alam had been arrested in 24 hours.

The second arrest came hours after Alam was detained and interrogated for six hours by Indian border security guards (BSF) on Tuesday evening 16 June.

Alam was working on his Brahamaputra river project, which has been running for several years and covers China, Mongolia, Tibet and India. He was kept in custody overnight.

In the first incident, Alam says he was taking photographs on the Bangladeshi side of the border when Indian border guards asked him to come over to their side where they detained him at Sahapara 21 IPP. After the six hour interrogation Alam was released.

At 03:00 on Wednesday morning 17 June, Alam called colleagues to say he had been arrested again but this time by Bangladeshi border guards (BD).

He was taken to a local police station and a case was filed by SI Amir Ali under the Control Entry Act/4,1978 Bangladesh (case number 6, dtd 17.06.2009).

His colleagues from Drik picture network, Sumeru Mukhopadhyay and Abul Kashem attended the court in Kurigram.

Advocate Siddiqur Rahman, a lawyer of the Kurigram Bar Association, represented Alam and the Vice President of the Bar Association Advocate, Abdul Khaleque, was also be present.

Members of Manobadhikar Shangbadik Shomiti (Journalists for Human Rights) attended the hearing.

Alam's friends and family thank all who campaigned on his behalf. Updates are also being posted on the Unheard Voices site.

Note: All images courtesy of Fazley Elahi Shwopon of DrikNEWS