Police have arrested one person in connection with the mob attack on Liaqat Ali Badal, senior journalist and Rangpur correspondent of Dhaka Tribune and Bangla Tribune. The arrest was made on Monday around 9:30 pm, the police said.
The case was filed on Sunday night at Kotwali Police Station by Liaqat Ali, who named 14 individuals, including Umme Fatima, Chief Executive (CEO) of Rangpur City Corporation. The case lists nine City Corporation officials and employees, as well as a former councillor, as accused. About 20 to 25 others have been included as unidentified accused.
Police said Ratan Mia, one of the accused in the case, was arrested on Monday night. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining accused.
Atauur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali Police Station, said, “The case alleges illegal gathering, unlawful obstruction, causing general and grievous harm with intent to kill, abduction, and intimidation related to murder and injury. One accused has been arrested, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the others.”
According to the case statement, the accused allegedly formed a mob in front of Court Mosque, opposite the District Police Office in Kotahari Bazar, Rangpur, and began assaulting Liaqat Ali. At one point, they reportedly held knives to their chests, saying: “You are spreading false news against us. You will have to go to the City Corporation CEO’s office and apologise.”
Liaqat Ali said the attack followed his 17 September report in Dainik Sangbad, titled, “In Rangpur, auto-rickshaw licences in the name of July warriors, 50 million taka trade conspiracy.” After the report, licence distribution was reportedly halted. Angered by this, the accused allegedly tried to kill him and forced him to apologise to the City Corporation CEO.
Umme Fatima, CEO of Rangpur City Corporation, rejected the allegations, saying there was no question of journalists being brought in to apologise, and called the claims baseless.
Enayet Ali Roki, accused number one in the case and claiming to be a ‘July warrior,’ said the journalist was brought in for a discussion and no disrespect occurred.
Local journalists in Rangpur protested against the assault, holding human chains in front of the Rangpur Press Club on Monday morning. They warned that if the accused are not arrested by midnight Tuesday, they would besiege the Metropolitan Police office the following day.