Mithila Farzana
Mithila Farzana | |
|---|---|
মিথিলা ফারজানা | |
.jpg) Farzana in 2018 | |
| Former Head of Current Affairs at Ekattor Television | |
| Counsellor at the Bangladesh High Commission in Ottawa, Canada | |
| In office 15 November 2023 – 30 August 2024 | |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
Mithila Farzana, born Mobashwira Farzana Mithila, is a Bangladeshi journalist and former counsellor at the Bangladesh High Commission in Ottawa, Canada.[1][2] She was the Head of Current Affairs at Ekattor Television.[3]
Farzana was a lecturer of the Institute of Disaster Management in the University of Dhaka.[4]
She was among the 32 journalists that have had a complaint filed against them at the International Crimes Tribunal accusing them of genocide related to the deaths during protests which removed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from office,[5] however Farzana was busy working as a counsellor in Canada during the protests in Bangladesh.
Additionally, the Director of Advocacy and Assistance of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Antoine Bernard has said about the accusations, "the purge of journalists who are considered to be affiliated with the former government has reached a new level. Media professionals are bearing the brunt of the need for vengeance that permeates this terrible legal cabal..."[6]
Career
[edit]Farzana joined Ekattor TV as a news presenter.[4] She had served as the Current Affairs Editor.[7] She had hosted television show Ekattor Journal where panelist Mainul Hosein got into an argument with fellow panelist and journalist Masuda Bhatti.[8] Masuda Bhatti filed a defamation case against Hosein in which he was detained.[9] She spoke on a panel of UNESCO about online violence she has faced as a female journalist.[10]
Farzana has criticized Bangladeshi companies having to pay 55 million BDT to telecast TVCs while Indian companies only had to pay 150 thousand.[4]
Farzana was appointed director of the Public Diplomacy Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in November 2023 with the rank of Deputy Secretary.[3] It was a two-year appointment.[11] After the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the fall of the Awami League government, she and Aparna Rani Pal were recalled to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from their posts at the Bangladesh High Commission in Ottawa, Canada.[12][13] On 29 August 2024, a case of genocide was filed by Gazi MH Tamim against 52 of which were 32 journalists including Farzana, at the International Crimes Tribunal.[14][15] The accused also included former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the journalist were accused of "inciting" her.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ "Journalist Mithila Farzana appointed as director of foreign ministry". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ "Farzana Mithila's contractual appointment cancelled". Daily Sun. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ a b "Mithila Farzana appointed as a director of foreign ministry". The Daily Star. 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ a b c Hossain, Rafi (2016-12-24). "Mithila Farzana". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ "Hasina, 29 journalists among 53 facing genocide charges at International Criminal Tribunal". Hasina, 29 journalists among 53 charged at ICT. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ "RSF demands release of journos sued over crimes against humanity, death of protesters". The Business Standard. 2024-08-31. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
- ^ Kawser, Rumi (10 March 2018). "Why women are leaving journalism". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Demands for public apology from Mainul Hosein after he calls Masuda Bhatti a 'debauchee'". Bdnews24.com. 18 October 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ Report, Star Online (2019-09-03). "Barrister Mainul sent to jail". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ "Judiciary is key to end impunity for crimes against journalists, says UNESCO". UNESCO. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Government appoints journalist Farzana Mithila as a director at foreign ministry". Bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ "Mithila Farzana, Aparna Rani go missing in Canada". The South Asian Times | সাউথ এশিয়ান টাইমস. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ Hasib, Nurul Islam (15 August 2024). "Dhaka recalls 7 envoys including from US, Russia, Japan, Saudi Arabia". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Complaint lodged against 53 including Hasina, 28 journalists for inciting genocide". unb.com.bd. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ "Complaint of genocide against 52 people, over half of them journalists". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ "Hasina, 32 journos sued over genocide, crimes against humanity". Daily Sun. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.