Two journos hurt in attack by BCL, JL men
Two journalists were injured in an attack by Jubo League and Chhatra League men in the city's Mirzajangal area yesterday over a Facebook comment allegedly by one of the victims.
The injured, Madhab Karmaker and Gopal Bardhon, staff correspondent and video journalist of Independent Television in Sylhet, received treatment at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.
The victims said a group of around 10-12 Jubo League and Chhatra League men, led by Mosaddek Hossain Mosa, joint-convenor of Dakshin Surma Jubo League, and BCL leader Rajesh Sarkar, pounced on them and beat them up when they were coming out of Nimbark Asram in Mirzajangal area around 1:15pm.
Madhab said some BCL men, including Rajesh, phoned him on Friday night to enquire why “he made an indecent comment” about Chhatra League on Facebook.
The journalist then realised that his Facebook account was hacked. Someone commented from the account that the BCL was “full of uneducated and illiterate people who even could not spell words correctly”.
Madhab said he told Rajesh that some unidentified people made the comment using his Facebook account as it was hacked.
Early yesterday, the journalist managed to regain control of his account. In a new Facebook status, he clarified his stand on the comment on Bangladesh Chhatra League.
Madhab said Gopal came under attack as he tried to save him from the attackers. He alleged that the attackers took photos and footage of the incident.
On information, some journalists rushed to the spot and sent the two injured to the hospital.
BCL sources said the Jubo League activists were followers of Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, president of Sylhet metropolitan Awami League, and Rajesh is associated with Kashmir group, led by AL leader Bidhan Das.
Gousul Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said they collected footage of a CCTV camera at Nimbark Asram and identified Rajesh among the attackers. He said police would take immediate actions against the assaulters of the journalists.
Kamran later visited the spot of the attack and demanded the authorities conduct an inquiry into the incident and ensure justice for the two journalists.
Abdul Alim Tushar, general secretary of Sylhet metropolitan BCL, said Rajesh is an activist of the student body. The BCL would take action against the attackers after confirming their identities, he added.
Despite repeated attempts, this correspondent could not reach Rajesh and Mosaddek over the phone for comment.
On January 25, two journalists were injured in an attack allegedly by followers of an AL leader in the Sylhet court area when the newsmen were carrying out their duties.
The victims are Nirananda Paul, video journalist of Jamuna TV, and Mamun Hasan, photojournalist of the daily Jugantor.
The attack was allegedly carried out by the followers of Liaquat Ali, general secretary of Jaintiapur upazila AL, who was denied bail in a murder case by a Sylhet court that day.
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