Fear, anxiety haunt journalists
Jamal killed, 9 tortured, threatened in a week in Khulna division
Mother of slain Jamal Uddin, reporter of local daily Gramer Kagoj, wails at her house in Sharsha upazila under Jessore district. Photo: Banglar Chokh/star
Journalists in several south-western districts under Khulna division are passing their days amid fear and anxiety as one journalist was killed and nine others were tortured and threatened in a week from June 10 to 16. On June 16, criminals hacked to death Jamal Uddin, 33, a correspondent of Jessore-based Bangla daily Gramer Kagoj, in Sharsha upazila of Jessore, allegedly for reporting on a local drug smuggling syndicate. On June 12, activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of ruling Awami League, and a few physicians tortured three journalists in Chuadanga. The victims are staff correspondents of Chuadanga-based daily Mathabhanga, Touhid Tuhin, Khairuzzaman Setu and Saif Jahan. According to police and journalists sources, the daily published a report on illegal activities of BCL men in Chuadanga Government College several days ago. When Touhid Tuhin, the reporter, went to the college to collect further information, the BCL men attacked Tuhin. They mercilessly beat up Tuhin, leaving him injured at the college canteen. Tuhin's colleagues Setu and Saif rescued him and rushed him to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital but the on-duty doctors declined to treat him there. At one stage of altercation, doctors' men attacked the journalists and beat them up. The injured journalists were then treated at a private clinic. Two separate cases were filed against the BCL men and doctors with Chuadanga Sadar police station. After the incident, 35 journalists filed separate general diary (GD) with Sadar police asking security of their lives. Later at a meeting called by local ruling party lawmaker Solaiman Joarder on Saturday, BCL men and physicians expressed sorrow for the incident. The same day, a gang led by Modor Uddin attacked Saifuzazman Tazu, Harinakundu correspondent of the Bhorer Kagoj, when he was returning to his Tatiapur home from Harinakundu Bazar. He is now undergoing treatment at Jhenidah Sadar Hospital. Tazu had written several reports on incidents of land grabbing allegedly by Modor. On June 13, Jhenidah Superintendent of Police (SP) Pankaj Bhattacharya threatened two journalists to file false cases against them when they went to collect news at his office over a few issues in the district. Journalists protested the incident and demanded immediate withdrawal of the SP. The matter was settled after the SP expressed sorry to the journalists at Jhenidah Press Club on June 14. A top criminal of Jhenidah town Sharif Ahmed threatened MA Jalil, Jhenidah correspondent of Kushtia-based popular Bangla daily Dainik Kushtia, after the daily ran a report on Sharif's preventing contractors from dropping tender at Roads and Highways Department. Sharif waylaid Jalil at Arappur intersection in the town on June 15 and threatened to 'shoot him dead'. Jalil filed a GD with Sadar police station. A group of criminals allegedly loyal to Sadar Uddin Khan, chairman of Khoksa upazila parishad in Kushtia, went to Al Helal Registered Primary School on June 16 and looked for Munshi Liton, Khoksa correspondent of daily Samakal and Kushtia-based Dainik Kushtia. The criminals threatened Liton, also a teacher of the school, for reporting on a child marriage held on June 8. Sadar Khan, also president of Khoksa Awami League, played leading role in the child marriage for the son of a party leader in the area. Expressing concern over the incidents, Sarder Al Amin, editor of Chuadanga daily Mathabnahga said, "The government should take immediate steps as men of the ruling party are directly or indirectly involved in the incidents.”
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