UP chairman, member among 10 sued over assaulting TBS journo in Ctg

Ten people, including the local UP chairman and member, were sued over assaulting a journalist at gunpoint for collecting information about illegal brick kilns in Chattogram's Rangunia upazila.

The accused are Islampur Union Parishad Chairman Siraj Uddin Chowdhury, UP member Mohiuddin Talukdar Mohan, brick kiln manager Kamran, Mohan's associate Kanchan Turi and five to seven other armed criminals.

"The victim, journalist Abu Azad, filed the case with Rangunia Model Police Station on Monday, accusing them of attempted murder, assault, extortion, kidnapping and extortion," Md Mahbub Milky, officer-in-charge of Rangunia Model Police Station told The Business Standard.

"We have started an investigation into the allegation and after investigation, necessary measures will be taken," the OC added.

Earlier on Sunday, Abu Azad, staff correspondent of The Business Standard, was attacked by Rangunia UP member Mohiuddin Talukdar Mohan when he went to collect information on illegal brick kilns there. He was picked up in a white car and taken to a nearby market where they assaulted him publicly.

Later, he was taken to Mohan's office and tortured. They took away his mobile phone, wallet and ID card and demanded Tk50,000 extortion.

The National Human Rights Commission has asked the local administration to investigate the attack on journalist Abu Azad.

It also asked Chattogram deputy commissioner to report to the commission by 1 February after taking action upon investigating the incident, according to a press release issued by the commission on Monday.

Expressing concern over the incident, the Human Rights Commission said such cases of torture of journalists are alarming as well as illegal brick-making without the approval of local authorities is a serious threat to nature.

The Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and the Chattogram Union of Journalists demanded legal action against those involved in the incident after an investigation.