Municipal mayor 'threatens' journo

The mayor of Thakurgaon municipality has allegedly threatened to hack a local journalist over the phone for reporting on irregularities in an ongoing road construction project. 

However, denying the allegation, Mayor Alamgir Sarkar, also president of Jubo League's Ranishankoil upazila unit, said he only hurled abuses at the reporter on Thursday for publishing a “fabricated report”.

Khurshid Alam Shawon, 24, the upazila correspondent of the Bangla daily Protidiner Sangbad, filed a general diary with Ranishankoil Police Station the same night, accusing the mayor of threatening to hack him.

The Daily Star obtained an audio tape of the threat.

The Ranishankoil municipality, with financial assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), is constructing a 6km road from BN Girls' High School to Khuniadighi involving Tk 2.9 crore.

On January 28, the daily ran a report on corruption, including use of substandard construction materials, after which high officials concerned visited the construction site.

Ranishankoil police said they would take action after investigation.