'July Warrior' accused of mob assault on journo in Rangpur

In Rangpur, Liakat Ali Badal, correspondent for Daily Sangbad and Ekushey Television, was allegedly harassed and assaulted in public. On Sunday (September 21) afternoon, he was picked up from the Court Masjid area of the city by a group of youths. Badal claimed that a man named Rocky, introducing himself as a ‘July Warrior’, led the incident with 7–8 accomplices.

He was forcibly taken to the office of the chief executive officer (CEO) of the City Corporation, Umme Fatema. There, he was pressured to apologise for publishing a report on corruption. Badal stated that he refused to apologise, saying he had done nothing wrong.

When fellow journalists rushed to the spot after hearing the news, some officials and employees of the City Corporation attacked them as well. The journalists were locked inside the building by shutting the main gate. Later, police and army personnel rescued them and brought the situation under control.

In protest, journalists immediately staged a sit-in programme. Afterwards, an emergency meeting was held in the conference room of the deputy commissioner with the city corporation CEO, the additional commissioner of Metropolitan Police, district administration officials, and journalist leaders. additional deputy commissioner (General) Ramiz Uddin described the incident as regrettable and expressed sorrow.

Journalist leaders demanded clarification on whose orders the abduction was carried out, immediate arrest of all attackers, and suspension of officials and employees who harassed journalists.

Liakat Ali Badal said, “I reported on the City Corporation’s autorickshaw licence trade. Angered by that report, I was abducted and beaten. I believe this would not have been possible without the instigation of CEO Umme Fatema and former administrator Shahidul Islam. I will file a case and seek justice.”

Imtiaz Ahmed Imti, former convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, condemned the incident. Organisations including Rangpur Journalists’ Union and Reporters’ Club described it as disgraceful and demanded swift arrests of those involved.

S.M. Salequzzaman Salek, President of Rangpur Journalists’ Union, said, “The CEO of the City Corporation is at the root of this incident. She must be removed immediately, otherwise the journalist community will launch a larger movement.”

Shah Bayezid Ahmed, President of Reporters’ Club Rangpur, said, “Abducting and beating a journalist in broad daylight for publishing a report is unprecedented and deeply alarming. The culprits must be brought under the law.”

City Corporation CEO Umme Fatema expressed regret, saying an investigation would be carried out and action taken against those responsible.

Notably, a few days ago, Liakat Ali Badal published a report in Daily Sangbad titled ‘Conspiracy to trade Tk 50 crore in autorickshaw licences under the name of July Fighters’. The attack followed shortly after that publication.