Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP) has formed a probe body and closed two members of the force for assaulting a photojournalist at Mugda General Hospital.
Ansar and VDP Public Relations Officer Mehnaz Tabassum Rabin confirmed the matter through a press release on Saturday night.
In the statement, Ansar headquarters said that assault of the journalist was unintentional and a three-member probe body has been formed over the incident.
The probe body has been asked to submit its report within three working days, then departmental action will be taken against the two members if they are found guilty, the statement added.
Besides, Major General Kazi Sharif Kaikobad, director general of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP, also instructed all officers, employees, and members of force not to show disrespect towards journalists.
Earlier on Friday, two Ansar members at 500 bedded Mugda General Hospital assaulted photojournalist Rubel Rashid of Bangla Daily Desh Rupantor as he was taking photos of a clash between Ansar men and suspected Covid-19 patients at the hospital premises.
Rubel Rashid said he started taking photos when the Ansar men were beating up Shawon Hossain, a private university student, who was waiting in line to have his and his mother's samples collected for Covid-19 test.
Ansar's statement also said a quarrel broke out between Shawon Hossain and the on-duty Ansar members, and later Shawon referred to the Ansar members with “filthy language.” Later, a member from an intelligence agency asked the student why he used such language.
During the incident, two photojournalists continued to take pictures of the incident despite the Ansar members requesting them not to, the statement added.
