3 journalists assaulted, allegation against Jubo Dal leader in Shariatpur

Zahid Hasan of the Daily Star, Bidhan Majumdar, district correspondent of NEWS24 Television and Jago News, and Barkat Molla, district correspondent of Manabkantha, were assaulted in the premises of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Shariatpur, with allegations raised against a Jubo Dal leader and his supporters.

Around 10:30am leaders, activists and supporters of the BNP were gathering in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Tuesday. Exactly then the three journalists went there. Led by former president of the district Jubo Dal Arifuzzaman Molla, several of his supporters assaulted the three journalists.

Journalist Zahid Hasan alleged that he went in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office to perform his professional duty, where a protest procession was going on at that time. While taking photos and videos of the procession, Jubo Dal leader Arif Molla along with his associates assaulted him and tried to snatch the camera. Later several local lawyers rescued him and took him to their office.

Journalist Bidhan Majumdar said that while going to the Deputy Commissioner’s office to collect information and moving from the ground floor to the first floor, Arif Molla and his associates slapped, punched and kicked him and forced him out of the building. He has said he will take legal steps over this incident.

In the backdrop of this incident, a protest procession and rally was organized that very day under the banner of ‘people of all strata of Shariatpur district’ in the presence of several district-level leaders of the BNP, in which several hundred people took part. Banners were hung in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office demanding punishment for ‘several journalists who created a mob’.

Speakers at this rally included joint convener of Shariatpur district BNP Shah Mohammad Abdus Salam, president of Sadar upazila BNP Sirajul Haque Molla, general secretary Mahbub Morshed and others. The speakers claimed that the Deputy Commissioner is a representative of the government and the journalists created a ‘mob’ surrounding his vehicle. They alleged that the journalists demanded the withdrawal of the Deputy Commissioner by behaving in a terrorist manner and tried to tarnish the image of the government. They also raised the allegation of illegally occupying government land in the name of the Press Club.

When contacted, joint convener of Shariatpur district BNP Shah Mohammad Abdus Salam said that the journalists behaved unjustly with the Deputy Commissioner and they do not have the right to demand his withdrawal in this manner. He claimed that some terrorists and collaborators of fascism under the cover of journalism did such work to tarnish the image of the BNP government, and that is why they held the protest rally. However, he said he is not aware whether any journalist was oppressed or assaulted.

On the other hand, general secretary of Shariatpur Press Club Nurul Amin said that the Deputy Commissioner demolished the boundary wall of the Press Club without any notice, and while protesting that incident a journalist of Time Television was injured in a terrorist attack and is undergoing treatment. In the backdrop of these incidents the journalists had held a human chain demanding the withdrawal of the Deputy Commissioner. He said that in such a situation today a Jubo Dal leader assaulted three journalists, which is unexpected and undesirable. He informed that legal steps will be taken from the Press Club’s side over this incident.

District Commissioner of Shariatpur Tahsina Begum was phoned several times to know about the matter but she did not receive the calls. To know about the assault on the journalists, Police Super of Shariatpur Rawnak Jahan and Officer-in-Charge of Palong Model Police Station Shah Alam were also phoned multiple times, but they too did not respond. No reply was received even after sending text messages.