A journalist has allegedly been beaten on Thursday by Bangladesh Chhatyra League (BCL) leaders and activists at Dhaka University (DU) while performing his professional duties.
The victim was identified as Abid Hasan Rasel, a Dhaka University reporter of the Bangala Tribune online news portal.
The incident took place at the Sanjeeb Square of Teachers-Students Centre (TSC) at around 5.30 pm.
Eyewitnesses said that protesting the arrival of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the golden jubilee of independence and the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman a platform called “People of Bangladesh” staged a programme named “Jeyafat”. In the afternoon, they were cooking for the “Jeyafat” at Sanjeev Chattar for the program. However, before starting the program, the BCL leaders and activists were beating the protesters and snatching their banners.
“While recording the video of this incident, the leaders and activists of BCL attacked Rasel ‘despite mentioning his journalistic identity’, they added.
Bangladesh Chhatra League’s central vice-president Utpal Das led the attack. Russell tried to enter the TSC to escape the attack, but the TSC gate was closed and the assailants beat him.
Zahurul Haque Hall BCL joint-general secretary Amir Hamza, BCL leader Rakib Hawladar and four or five others beat Russell on the head, back and right hand with bamboo sticks.
Abid Hasan Rasel said that being assigned I went there to cover the programme, suddenly BCL leader and activists attacked the protesters then I tried to take picture. But they came to me a snatched my phone, then I was going through the TSC gate, but I failed as the gate was closed. And they beat me in that place.
Besides, repeated attempts were made to reach BCL president Al Nahiyan Khan Joy and Secretary Lekhak Bhattacharjee for their comment on this matter, but they did not pick up the call.
Later, the alleged leader denied the allegation against him and his party.
The reporter was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and is undergoing treatment at Dhaka University Medical Center.
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