Kabir confident he will be acquitted of all charges

A noted journalist and writer who was arrested and charged with sedition for filming a documentary on repressed minority communities, said on his release on bail on Sunday that the confiscated video tapes will speak for themselves and acquit him of all charges.

"The cassettes contain nothing but statements of people who were repressed and compelled to flee their homes," said Shahriar Kabir following his release from jail on ad-interim bail.

Kabir, who was described by Amnesty International as a 'prisoner of conscience', would not elaborate, since the matter is now pending with the court.

But he observed that it is a shame that people had been tortured only for their religious affiliation and compelled to leave the country after the October 1 election.

"We must understand in what situation a person is made to leave not only his home but his motherland too; and with what pains a person migrates. Those who committed the crime have no mercy," said Kabir.

With the BBC and other international media interviewing Hindus who sought shelter in the Indian state of West Bengal, Kabir shot their statements for a documentary.

But on his return from Kolkata on November 22, he was arrested at Zia International Airport. Police seized the video cassettes along with some CDs and audio cassettes of singers like Hemanta Mukherjee. He was also charged with sedition.

"I would like to see how they prove that interviewing repressed people is an act of treason. My release by order of the High Court is a victory of the truth," he said.

He thanked the people for building a movement across the country for his release and said this represented a victory for the public, journalists and civil society.

"I also express my gratitude to the international community for their concern over my detention."

Shahriar blamed Jamaat and other militant groups as well as "communal elements in the BNP" for the attacks on the minority community.

The journalist, who was the lieutenant of the late Jahanara Imam in her crusade against 1971 war criminals during Khaleda Zia's previous regime, alleged the BNP government is now indulging in politics of vengeance.

However, his detention is not the first act carried out by the BNP government against him. He also lost his job as executive editor with the state-owned Bichitra for his involvement in Jahanara Imam's campaign. He was also charged with treason.