Reporter among 10 injured in attack ‘over news on Kuakata mayor’
At least 10 people including a local journalist was injured in an attack, allegedly by a local Jubo League leader and his cohorts, in Kalapara upazila on Monday night.
Bangla daily Jugantor’s Kuakata correspondent Nasir Uddin Biplob and five others -- Jamal Hawlader, Solaiman Fakir, Shakil Khalifa, Chunnu Hawlader and Sabur Mia -- were admitted to Kalapara Upazila Health Complex with injuries, while the other injured received primary treatment at different local health facilities.
A group of nearly 15 criminals armed with sticks and sharp weapons and led by Masud Mollah -- joint convener of Jubo League’s Mohipur upazila unit and son of Kuakata municipality Mayor Abdul Bareq Mollah -- swooped on Nasir Uddin around 9:00pm when he was sitting in his office at Alipur Bazar, said eyewitnesses and the injured.
The assailants dragged him out of the office and assaulted him physically. When locals heard the commotion and came to his rescue, they also came under attack and sustained injuries, they also said.
Nasir Uddin, former president of Kuakata Press Club and secretary to Muktijoddha Santan Command in the upazila, alleged that the Kuakata mayor’s son assaulted him as the mayor took offence at a news report that he made in January this year regarding an incident at a local fish market involving the mayor.
Refuting the accusations against his son and himself, the mayor said Nasir was spreading propaganda for political gains.
His son, Masud Mollah, also denied any involvement in the attack, saying, “I was at Kuakata beach when the attack took place.”
“After hearing about it [the attack], I came to the spot and tried to control the situation,” he also claimed.
Nasir said he was making preparations to file a case in this regard.
Officer-in-Charge of Mohipur Police Station Saidul Islam said after being informed, they swiftly went to the spot and brought the situation under control.
They would take necessary steps once a case is filed in this connection, he added.