The Kurigram representative of Dhaka Tribune, Ariful Islam Reagan, was blindfolded and tortured mercilessly at the Deputy Commissioner's (DC) office yesterday. The torture was even filmed by one of the men.
Mostarima Sardar Nitu, wife of Ariful, was speaking to reporters after meeting her husband today.
Nitu alleged that Nazim Uddin, RDC (Senior Assistant Commissioner-Revenue) of Kurigram Deputy Commissioner's Office, led the attack on their home. She also told the reporters that when she met Ariful on Saturday morning, he told her about the brutality he had to go through the entire time he was at the DC’s office.
Nitu said: “When Arif reached the DC office, he was shoved into a room, where he was blindfolded and beaten up mercilessly. Later, they took off his shirt and pants and started beating him again. Someone was also filming the entire scene of the incident. Though Ariful could not see his perpetrators, he clearly remembers their voices," she said. She added: “My husband is really sick, he could not even stand properly when he came before me today.”
Revealing more, Nitu told the media that when she saw Nazim at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Saturday morning, she immediately went to the RDC officer and asked him the reason for her husband’s abduction. In reply, Nazim told Nitu that her husband was a drug addict.
“When I asked the Nazim to present any evidence of my husband’s involvement in drugs he simply walked away from me, and then when I asked him as to why he had abducted my husband, the government official vehemently denied his involvement,” added Nitu.
It is worth mentioning that a mobile court of the district administration sentenced journalist Ariful Islam to one-year imprisonment. He was alleged to have kept half a bottle of alcohol and 150 grams of marijuana at home. Ariful, it may be noted, is a non-smoker.
Arif's wife claimed to the media that at midnight on Friday some strangers came to their house and knocked on the door, demanding that they open it. When Arif asked for their identity, they did not identify themselves. Arif then contacted the Kurigram police station and confirmed that the police had not ordered any raid at his house.
Meanwhile, the strangers broke down the door and entered his residence. However, they did not conduct any search operation. Arif's wife claimed that there were 6 to 7 strangers and they were armed. They were accompanied by 13 to 15 Ansar members. They started beating up Ariful and at one point abducted him.
According to sources, Ariful had been getting threats for his earlier reports which went against Kurigram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sultana Pervin. Ariful had made a report over an attempt by Sultana Pervin to have a renovated pond named after her.
Besides, he had also reported recently over irregularities regarding appointments at the DC office.