Police beat journalists in Supreme Court premises, injured 10

Police attacked on the journalists during the election of the Supreme Court Bar Association. At least 10 journalists were injured there.

The incident took place in the Supreme Court premises on Wednesday (March 15) afternoon.

The injured of the incident are - ATN News reporter Javed Akhtar, Ajker Potrika reporter SM Noor Mohammad, Jago News senior reporter Fazlul Haque Mridha, Manabzamin multimedia reporter Abdullah Al Maruf, ATN Bangla cameraperson Humayun Kabir, Somoy TV cameraperson Solaiman Swapan, cameraperson Mehedi Hasan Mim  of DBC and cameraperson Ibrahim of Baishakhi TV. Besides, several other media workers were injured.

ATN News reporter Javed Akhtar was seriously injured in the attack and was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Some eyewitness journalists told The Report.Live that pro-BNP lawyers protested at the polling center Shaheed Shafiur Rahman Auditorium demanding the formation of a new election commission. The policemen stormed the auditorium and lathi-charged the pro-BNP lawyers.

Meanwhile, journalists were punched and their clothes were torn. A member of the police snatched the boom (microphone) from the multimedia reporter of Manabzamin, Maruf's hand. Journalists on duty at the Supreme Court strongly condemned the incident.

Javed Akhter of ATN News said, "Even after introducing myself as a journalist, the police put me under their feet and abused and tortured me in hateful language."

Although the polling time was from 10 am to 5 pm on March 15 and 16, the white panel supported by Awami League and the blue panel supported by BNP had taken positions regarding the election since the previous night.

Mohammad Moniruzzaman as the convener of the white panel and ASM Moktar Kabir for the blue panel were nominated separately through an emergency meeting on Tuesday.

Hundreds of policemen were present in the premises of the Supreme Court Lawyers' Association from Wednesday morning due to the 2-day election of the Supreme Court Lawyers' Association. Apart from this, the members of various detective agencies were performing their duties in civil clothes.