Third Journalist Arrested in Bangladesh

Bangladeshi authorities have arrested a third journalist working on a Channel 4 documentary on terrorism, three days after a British journalist and Italian cameraman were taken into custody for alleged "anti-Bangladeshi activities".

Saleem Samad, a freelance reporter and local correspondent for the international press watchdog Reporters Sans Frontiers, was arrested earlier today in connection with the Channel 4 film.

Samad had been sought by police after he helped the Channel 4 crew - British journalist Zaiba Malik and Italian cameraman Bruno Sorrentino and their assistants.

"Journalist Saleem Samad was arrested from a house at Uttara, in the capital Dhaka early today," an official from the detective branch of the Dhaka police told Reuters new agency.

His arrest comes after RSF wrote to the Bangladeshi government calling for an end to official harassment of Samad and his family.

RSF said his home was being watched by state security agents, his family have been harassed and his phone has been cut off.

Malik and Sorrentino were arrested together with their interpreter Pricila Raj and driver Mujib on November 25 as they tried to cross the Bangladeshi border into India.

They were remanded in custody for five days and have yet to be charged. But they are believed to be under investigation for sedition.

Mailk and Sorrentino were working for independent production company Mentorn Midlands, which has been commissioned by Channel 4 to make a film for its Unreported World foreign affairs series.

Police said the two had admitted they interviewed a number of leaders of radical Islamic organisations.

Interior ministry officials in Dhaka said the journalists were seeking to portray Bangladesh, a Muslim country, as hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism with links to terrorist organisations.