Assault on journos: EC seeks withdrawal of deputy director

The Election Commission today urged the government to withdraw one of its project's deputy director who beat up two journalists at his office yesterday.

Sirajul Islam, Election Commission Secretariat’s secretary, confirmed that the public administration ministry has been forwarded a letter for the withdrawal of Abdul Bari.

Private satellite television Channel 24 reporter GM Mostafizul Alam and cameraperson Ripu Ahmed were assaulted by staff of the commission’s National Identity Registration Wing in Agargaon, yesterday.

They went there around noon to gather information over allegations that people were suffering when trying to make corrections on their national identity cards and get replacements for lost ones.

They, along with the office's security personnel, forcibly took the duo to the office of Abdul Bari and beat them up.

“At one stage, Bari asked his subordinates to snatch the camera...Around a dozen staff then started kicking, punching and slapping us indiscriminately,” Mostafizul alleged.

Later, a visiting election commissioner, Shah Nawaz, helped got the duo released and helped get back their possessions.