tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4183118663703256159.post8952814893309828144..comments2024-03-19T11:45:35.711+06:00Comments on Bangladesh Politico: The rise, fall ... and rise of bangladesh bloggersDavid Bergmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02674636000068693356noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4183118663703256159.post-70926619439003910402013-04-15T23:45:45.818+06:002013-04-15T23:45:45.818+06:00I am curious - are you aware that opposition blogs...I am curious - are you aware that opposition blogs, such as SonarBangladesh (which while allowing JI write ups, certainly also promoted a lot more than just JI writings), have been shut down and their editors arrested? The editor of SonarBangladesh blog was arrested in Feb and is now languishing in prison indefinitely. The police have repeatedly demanded money to the tune of quite a few lacs - way beyond his family's capacity - in return for releasing him. He was genuinely not politically active, besides being a blog editor. (Not that being politically active is a logical reason to arrest someone, but I know that is the accepted logic these days!) <br /><br />This is noteworthy because SonarBangladesh was the largest opposition blog in the country. This doesn't mean it didn't have proGovt writings, it did. When I say opposition blog what I mean is - in some other blogs, such as Shachalayatan, if you are pro-JI, you are absolutely banned from writing, their entry structures control it. SonarBangladesh on the other hand was largely populated by pro-JI, pro-Opp people because entry structures were not restrictive. (To add a bit of context, many of those involved in the sometimes-vicious twitter 'attack' against you are well known Shachals.)<br /><br />I ask because when blogs come up in the context of Bangladesh, it always seems to be about Shahbag-religion, etc. But the clamp down on blogs and bloggers started *at least* two months before the 3 Shahbag-blogger arrests. Why is it that in the popular discourse Shahbag-bloggers are 'bloggers', and SonarBangladesh-bloggers are not 'bloggers'?<br /><br />I deeply admire your courage and eagerly looking forward to reading your new blog :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com