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Alert

Missing journalist Jamal Uddin found murdered

(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is an IFJ media release:

IFJ demands immediate investigation into death of a journalist in Bangladesh

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemns the murder of Bangladeshi journalist Jamal Uddin by unknown assailants.

While it remains unknown if the murder is connected to Jamal Uddin's journalistic work, the IFJ demands an immediate and full investigation.

According to local reports, Jamal Uddin left his home on March 5, 2007, and was subsequently reported missing.

Police reportedly recovered his body from the Rangamati Tourist Complex the next day. They have recorded the cause of death as murder.

BMSF (the Human Rights Journalist Forum of Bangladesh) reports that Jamal Uddin was a local correspondent for the Dhaka-based news agency, ABAS, and the Rangamati regional paper Dainik Giridharan.

"Given Bangladesh's abysmal record of press repression, the rise in violent attacks on journalists, and the prevailing atmosphere of fear within the media, a strong response from the authorities is imperative," IFJ President Christopher Warren said.

Earlier this year, the Bangladesh government faced international criticism when it attempted to impose general censorship on the news media.

"Denying the Bangladeshi people of their fundamental right to information will not help the government resolve the political crisis," the IFJ president said.

The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 115 countries.