Police detained a man for his involvement in an alleged attack and attempted abduction of a journalist over publishing a news article.
The journalist, Ekattor TV's Savar correspondent Ashraf Seizel, filed a written complaint against four named and 10 unnamed individuals with Savar Model police station.
The detainee is Mohsin Babu, a member of Savar Municipal unit Awami League.
Among the named accused are -- Savar upazila Chairman Manjurul Alam Rajib, Aminbazar Union Parishad Chairman Rakib Ahmmed, and others, reports Bangla Tribune.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Savar Model police station Deepak Chandra Saha said: "We have received the written complaint. Mohsin Babu, the accused number 3 in the complaint, has already been detained. Preparations are underway to take further legal action in this regard."
According to the complaint, Aminbazar Union Parishad office building was marked as a dangerous establishment. When the local administration allocated a khas land nearby to move the building's works to a safer place, the chairman did not take any steps.
Rather, he let businesses and other establishments take over the land. The journalist, Ashraf, filed a report on the matter on Ekattor TV, reads the document.
The complaint adds that some eight to 10 people attacked Ashraful, including Manjurul and Rakib.
In this regard, Ashraf said: “Since the building of Aminbazar Union Parishad was marked dangerous for some time, the UP chairman was asked by the local administration to conduct the office activities elsewhere. However, the accused UP chairman still conducted work there ignoring the risk. He is also accused of occupying a khas land.”
“When a report on the matter was published in the Ekattor TV, Savar upazila Chairman, and Aminbazar UP chairman sent some miscreants to attack and kidnap me. At that time, one of the accused, Mohsin Babu also hit me with a pistol,” added the journalist.
In this regard, Savar upazila Chairman Manjurul Alam Rajib said that he does not know anything about the attack. “I don't know anything regarding the matter. Now I am hearing a complaint was filed against me. If the journalist was attacked, I want proper action to be taken against the miscreants.”
“At the same time, I want an investigation into the matter, and the complaint that was made against me,” added the chairman.
Aminbazar Union Parishad Chairman Rakib said: “The report is a positive one for me. We want the building to be renovated as well. Besides, I have a good relationship with him (Ashraf). I don't understand why he has filed a complaint against me.”
A coworker of Ashraf, cameraperson at Ekattor TV Ujjal Hossain, was present when the alleged attack took place.
He said: “When I went to Ashraf's house to drop him off, another journalist Roushan and Mohsin Babu came to the spot on motorcycles. While I was talking to Roushan, all of a sudden, I saw Ashraf running away from the place. I don't know why he ran.”
He added that he did not see anyone else at the spot.
When asked about the matter, local journalist Roushan said that he was talking to cameraperson Ujjal at the time. “I saw Ashraf Seizel running away. I didn't see anything else happening. Now I am hearing he (Ashraf) filed a complaint against me too.”
Meanwhile, Savar upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Sayemul Huda said: “Ashraf received first aid from our hospital. There is a slight injury on the upper part of his knee, and there is no other injury on his body.”
