Journalist, along with mother, brutally assaulted in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Aug 10 A local journalist and his mother were brutally assaulted by a group of miscreants in Bangladesh's Lalmonirhat district, police said on Sunday. This adds to the cases of growing violence against journalists in the South Asian nation.

The victim, Helal Hossain Kabir, aged 32, is the executive editor of Alormoni, a weekly publication based in Lalmonirhat. Both he and his mother are currently under medical supervision at Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital, local media reported.

Following the attack, a case was filed naming 11 individuals. Police later arrested the prime accused, Sohrab Hossain, 48, on late Saturday night.

“Efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining accused. Upon completion of the investigation, a charge sheet will be submitted to the court. My seniors and I have already visited the injured at the hospital,” leading Bangladeshi daily, The Daily Star, quoted the Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station, Mohammad Nurnabi, as saying.

Dr Samina Hossain Chowdhury, Resident Medical Officer at the hospital, informed that the journalist sustained injuries to his head, face, hands, and legs. "He is under treatment but out of danger," she said.

Narrating the events leading up to the incident, Kabir said, "About five or six months ago, a local criminal named Abdul Aziz was caught red-handed while gambling in our village. He and his associates suspected that I was involved in exposing them."

"A day after his arrest, Aziz was granted bail and released from prison. Since then, he and his cohorts have been continuously harassing and threatening me," Kabir added.

He further said that he had filed a General Diary with the local police station on May 1 after receiving a death threat.

“Last evening, around 8 p.m., they barged into my home, assaulted me severely, and dragged me outside. They used bamboo sticks and iron rods to beat my face, head, hands, back, and legs. When my mother tried to intervene, they attacked her too," Kabir alleged.

Locals later came to their rescue and rushed them to the hospital.

This comes days after a reporter working for a Bangladeshi daily was publicly hacked to death in Chandana Chowrasta of Gazipur district, just hours after he went live on social media to expose extortion from street vendors and local shops in the area.

The deceased, identified as 38-year-old Asaduzzaman Tuhin was a staff reporter for the 'Daily Protidiner Kagoj' in Gazipur. The video of his murder on August 7 went viral on social media, sparking outrage in the media community.

On August 6, another journalist was brutally assaulted by extortionists in the Sahapara area of Gazipur while probing allegations of extortion collected from battery-powered and CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers.

The 35-year-old victim, Anwar Hossain Sourav, a staff reporter for the daily 'Bangladesher Alo', was attacked in broad daylight, reportedly in the presence of police.

Last month, Bangladesh's Awami League party stated that as many as 51 journalists from the South Asian country have expressed their grave concern over the ongoing killings, torture, and harassment against media persons under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.

The journalists demanded an immediate end to harassment, justice for slain colleagues, bail for imprisoned journalists, and restoration of the Dhaka Union of Journalists' operations.

Bangladesh has been gripped with numerous unprovoked and violent attacks against journalists, police officers, minorities, and those connected with the Awami League party after the Yunus-led interim government assumed power last year.

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