UPL protests forcible closure of Banglabazar outlet

The University Press Limited (UPL) yesterday protested the forcible closure of its Banglabazar outlet on Monday, saying it had faced various forms of pressure under successive governments but had consistently resisted them while upholding its professional standards and publishing principles.

The outlet remained locked till last night.

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Two unidentified youths locked the outlet on Monday afternoon, calling UPL’s 2012 publication “Oshomapto Attojiboni” -- an autobiography of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman -- a “banned book”.

They also handed over two employees of UPL to police at the Faridabad outpost under Sutrapur Police Station.

Members of civil society condemned the attack and the locking of the UPL outlet and demanded an impartial investigation, legal action against those responsible, and security for publishers and book sellers.

The Daily Star made several attempts to contact Sutrapur Police Station OC Matiur Rahman, but he did not answer phone calls. This correspondent also visited the station around noon but could not find him.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, however, the OC said the employees were taken to the Faridabad outpost, not the police station, and were later released from there.

He said the book had not been reprinted since 2024 and that the employees were released on the condition that they would no longer sell it. No complaint had been filed with the police station over the incident, he added.

A senior official of the Lalbagh Division of DMP, speaking anonymously, said the book was not banned and there was no restriction on selling it.

“If the Sutrapur OC released the detained employees on the condition that they would stop selling the book, that was not appropriate,” he said.

In a statement, UPL said it had never compromised its fundamental publishing standards despite commercial losses.

The renowned publishing house also said it publishes books based on assessments by expert reviewers and does not withdraw books under pressure.

Maintaining freedom of publication and academic standards remains UPL’s guiding principle, the statement said.

Mahabub Rahman, publisher of Adarsha Prokashoni, said they are concerned and saddened by the incident.

“Stopping book sales through intimidation or pressure is undemocratic. Such incidents will hinder publishers’ freedom to publish books and set a dangerous precedent for a knowledge-based society,” he said.

He said any legal objection to a book should be resolved through established procedures.

“Disagreeing with the views expressed in a book is one thing, but preventing the publication of a book that is not banned is an entirely different matter,” he said.

Firoz Ahmed, director of UPL’s editorial board, said the organisation will pursue legal avenues, including filing a general diary (GD).

“We could not open the outlet today (yesterday) because we were busy taking legal steps,” he said.

“No authority closed our shop; some goons did. The police know about it. So we did not separately seek their assistance. We hope the police will take the initiative to ensure our security, just as they do for other citizens.”

Nagorik Samaj, a group of eminent citizens, said everyone has the right to disagree with, criticise, or debate a book’s contents, but not to deprive others of the right to publish, sell, or read it.

Whether a book is banned should be determined through lawful procedures, not pressure from individuals or groups, it said.

The group described “Oshomapto Attojiboni” as an important work for studying Bangladesh’s history, saying differences of opinion over the book should be expressed through discussion, research and reason rather than attacks on bookstores or harassment of employees.

They warned that such incidents could undermine publishers’ freedom to publish and readers’ freedom to choose what they read.

The signatories include rights activists Hameeda Hossain and Khushi Kabir, Supreme Court lawyer Sara Hossain, Dhaka University Prof Samina Luthfa, photographer Shahidul Alam, and writer and activist Rahnuma Ahmed.

Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) also expressed concern over the incident and demanded a fair investigation and legal action against those responsible.

In a statement, BLAST called for an investigation into the police’s alleged role in taking the two UPL employees to the outpost and keeping them there.

It urged authorities to identify those involved, ensure the safety of UPL employees and protect publishers and booksellers.

Any decision to ban, withdraw or restrict a publication, it said, must have a clear legal basis and be taken through due process by the appropriate authority.