AL men injure 6 newsmen, snatch cameras in Lalmonirhat
Attackers allegedly belonging to the ruling Awami League (AL) injured six journalists and snatched their cameras and ID cards when they went to collect news at Singimari Government Primary School in Hatibandha upazila under Lalmonirhat district yesterday afternoon.
Locals rescued the injured newsmen and admitted them to Singimari union health complex.
The victims are Lalmonirhat district correspondents Towhidul Islam of Boishakhi TV, Moazzem Hossain of Banglanews24.com, Asaduzzaman Shaju of the daily Manob Kantha, and Hatibandha upazila correspondents Mizanur Rahman Dulal of the daily Jugantor, Kazi Altaf Hossain of the daily Manob Zamin and the Karatoa, and Nurul Haque of the daily Sangram.
Following an allegation that headmaster of the school, Abdus Sobur, also a former AL leader, physically harassed a female assistant teacher of the same school, a few journalists from district and upazila headquarters went there at around 40:30pm to collect news, said Towhidul Islam.
“Without talking with us regarding the matter, the headmaster called some Awami League men over mobile. He also claimed himself as a close relative of Primary and Mass Education State Minister Motahar Hossain,” said Asaduzzaman Shaju.
Within minutes, 20/25 AL men riding on about 12 motorbikes led by former president of Hatibandha upazila unit of AL Sarowar Hayat Khan, now adviser of the unit, and his aide MG Mostafa rushed to the spot and started beating the journalists, the victims said.
The AL men also snatched four cameras and five ID cards from the newsmen.
Lalmonirhat Superintendent of Police Habibur Rahman said the six assaulted journalists informed him of the matter and he has ordered the officer in charge (OC) of Hatibandha police station to take necessary steps.
A member of Hatibandha Upazila Press Club lodged a general diary regarding the matter with the police station, Hatibandha OC Tapos Kumar said, adding that the police have already started drive to arrest the attackers.
Contacted, AL leader Sarowar Hayat Khan claimed that he did not go to Singimari Government Primary School field during the whole day yesterday while the school headmaster Abdus Sobur declined to talk with the journalists, saying that the state minister will 'solve' the matter.
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