Two journalists working for British Channel 4 television and their local interpreter have been remanded in custody for five days by a court in Bangladesh.

Zaiba Malik and Leopondo Bruno Sorentino were arrested on Monday as they attempted to cross into India at the western Benapole border checkpoint.

Foreign journalists are treated like enemies and those who help them are harassed

Reporters Without Borders

The Bangladeshi authorities say the journalists spent two weeks filming in the country for a report on Islamic extremist groups.

But a spokesman for Channel 4 denied this, saying the footage was for a general report on the political situation in Bangladesh.

The pair were working for independent production company Mentorn Midlands, which has been commissioned by Channel 4 to make a film for its foreign affairs strand Unreported World.

Police are holding them for further questioning, and accuse them of sedition.

They say they found what was described as a huge quantity of video film and anti-government material among the journalists' possessions.

'Concerned'

The authorities in Benapole said the journalists told police and military intelligence officers they were teachers and were travelling on tourist visas.

The journalists could face up to seven years in prison if found guilty.

In a statement, Channel 4 said the company and Mentorn Midlands were "very concerned about the situation" and had sought legal representation for the journalists.

Both the High Commission in Dhaka and the British Foreign Office have been contacted and are monitoring developments.

Mr Sorrentino is an experienced London-based director and cameraman who has made several films for Channel 4 and has worked for the BBC Correspondent series.

Ms Malik is a journalist who has worked on the BBC's Panorama programme and Unreported Britain for Channel 4.

Mentorn Midlands are regularly commissioned by Channel 4 to produce factual programmes and they also produce the BBC's Question Time.

Criticism

The arrests were strongly criticised by rights group Reporters Without Borders, which has demanded the film crew's immediate release.

It said legal steps being taken against the journalists were a "serious attack on press freedom".

"The Bangladesh authorities say they have nothing to hide about the country's political and religious situation, but foreign journalists are treated like enemies and those who help them are harassed," a press release said.

The Bangladesh Government denies claims it is helping push the country towards an extremist form of Islam, or that it is sympathetic towards the Taleban and al-Qaeda.