Case filed against 200 over attack on newspaper office in Habiganj

Habiganj police yesterday filed an assault case against 200 people in connection with the attack on Dainik Amar Habiganj newspaper office and houses of people from the Hindu community.

Names of 22 persons were mentioned in the case while the rest are unknown.

Among the accused, two were arrested today and sent to jail through the Habiganj court this afternoon, reports our Moulvibazar correspondent quoting police.

Names of Muhibur Rahman Mahi, general secretary of the Habiganj district Chhatra League, Farhad Hossain Koli, joint secretary of the municipal Awami League and Fazle Rabbi Russell, office secretary of the municipal Awami League were mentioned in the case, said police.

Russell Bin, a Jubo League activist and Mahibur Rahman Sunny, president of the Municipal Sechchasebak League and also the special correspondent of the newspaper, were arrested from their homes early today on charges of involvement in the incident, said Habiganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Masuk Ali.

Sub-inspector Abdur Rahim, the plaintiff in the case, said, "Dainik Amar Habiganj has been publishing allegedly defamatory and misleading news against Awami League, Jubo League, Chhatra League and local businessmen.  On Monday, some aggrieved people organised a human chain and demanded to close down the newspaper.

"At one stage, the human chain went towards the house of the editor's father-in-law where they got into an argument with the paper's Editor Sushanta Das Gupta.  Later, a clash broke out there which injured 11 people, including OC Masuk."

"People from both sides have been charged in the case," said the SI.

On Monday, from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm, assailants hurled brickbats at the Dainik Amar Habiganj office in Chirakandi residential area and also attacked seven-eight houses, including that of Sushant's father-in-law, said Sushant Das Gupta, the editor-publisher of the newspaper.

Jubo League and Chhatra League took part in the attack led by one Ataur Rahman Selim, he added.