Shooting of A Boy in Gaibandha: PM blasts media for reports on MP Liton
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday slated the media for not telling the truth about last year's shooting of a minor boy allegedly by Awami League lawmaker Manzurul Islam Liton.
“The media reported the incident in such a way that he [Liton] wanted to kill the child. The media didn't write the truth behind the incident,” she said in parliament.
The PM made the remark during a general discussion on the obituary reference on Liton, lawmaker from Gaibandha-1. Liton was killed by unknown assailants at his village home in Gaibandha on December 31 last year.
Earlier on October 2, 10-year-old Sourav, son of Sazu Mia of Gopalcharan village in Sundarganj upazila, suffered wounds in both legs with bullets allegedly fired by Liton. A case was filed against the MP on the charge of attempted murder.
The victim's family members alleged that the AL MP shot the boy for no reason.
According to them, Sourav went out for a walk with his uncle Shahjahan Ali. At that time, the MP was returning to his Bamandanga house from Sundarganj, and stopped his car at the intersection where the two were strolling.
The MP, however, had refuted the allegation of firing shots at the boy.
Explaining the October 2 incident, Hasina told the House, “The fact is they [criminals] were lying in ambush there to kill him [Liton]. Liton fired blanks to protect himself. Why would he open fire to kill the child? Sourav's father is an Awami League man. Liton had good relations with that family.
“This may be possible that Sourav got injured when the blank shots were fired. But there is a big confusion about it.”
The PM said the media gave Liton a bad name centring the incident.
“I feel so bad that his [Liton] firearms were seized following the incident. He told several times that he himself took care of his own security wherever he went. He also said he might be killed,” the premier said, adding that the firearms of his wife were also seized after the incident.
Police personnel, who were deployed at Liton's house to provide him with security, were withdrawn for the local elections, she said.
Hasina noted that Liton became an AL lawmaker in an area known as a stronghold of cadres of Jamaat-Shibir and the BNP.
Condemning the killing, she said Liton's killers must be given due punishment. "Such a brutal murder cannot be tolerated ... we have taken a firm stance against terrorism and militancy. We must track down Liton's killers and hand down due punishment to them."
The premier also assured that her government would ensure security of all, including the lawmakers. "We will keep everyone safe. We must try our best to ensure it."
Earlier, several AL MPs and a Jatiya Party lawmaker took part in the discussion and castigated the media for what they said was yellow journalism over the incident involving Liton and the 10-year-old boy.
Deputy Speaker Fazle Rabbi Miah said, “Press became mad [centring the incident]. We lost to the media.”
Describing the incident, he said, “Liton had actually never imagined that the blank shots he fired for self protection would hit Sourav.
“He and his wife failed to get back the firearms despite repeated attempts. He could have saved himself if he had got back the firearms.”
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said that following the incident, a section of the media portrayed him as a bad person.
Chief Whip of Parliament ASM Feroz said the media labelled him as a criminal.
AL MP Jahangir Kabir Nanok also came down hard on the media, and asked why it portrayed Liton as a criminal.
Jatiya Party MP Kazi Feroz Rashid said, “The way the media writes about us, it seems we have become a laughingstock.
“Even if we bump against someone in a gathering, it becomes a news item.”
AL MP Shamim Osman said, “He [Liton] actually died [not literally] the very day he came under attack of yellow journalism.”
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed was the only exception who didn't blast the media.
“We just hope the media will write the truth,” he said, adding that he didn't want to speak against the media on the matter.
Several other MPs blamed BNP-Jamaat cliques for Liton's murder and urged the authorities concerned to bring the perpetrators to book.
Others who spoke included Finance Minister AMA Muhith, AL lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak and AL MP Mir Shawkat Ali Badsha.
Following the discussion, the House unanimously adopted the obituary motion.
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