"Press Release from Bangladesh Rural Journalists Foundation "

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"DIRD GROUP PRESS RELEASE "

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"Press Release from Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalist (BFUJ)"

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Dhaka University News Correspondent Tortured in Police Custody

A group of policemen tortured New Age’s Dhaka University correspondent Nazmul Huda Sumon and his friend from the university inside Ramna police station following an altercation over riding pillion on motorbike, triggering anger among journalists working on campus.

Nazmul, who also the third year student of political science, and his friend Kayruzzaman Shuvo of the management department, were moved to the university medical centre after Nazmul received stitches for a head injury and both underwent X-rays at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Nazmul and Shuvo said the police, led by sub-inspector Mehedi Hasan Sumon, took both of them from Bijoynagor intersection to the police station where they were beaten up with rifle butts and boots.
Nazmul said that he was heading towards campus riding his bike, with his friend behind, at about 5:00pm.
The on-duty police stopped Nazmul and asked him to drop the passenger, he said. He showed his identity card and asked them to allow him to go.
Sub-inspector Mehedi, who was also on a motorbike with a passenger behind, then snatched his ID.
Nazmul tried to take a picture of the policeman himself travelling with a passenger, angering SI Mehedi, Nazmul said ‘They beat up us on the road, later took us to the police station and again beat us up.’
‘In police custody, some 10 to 15 others beat us up with rifle butts and boots,’ he said, adding, ‘they also beat us while transporting us on the police van.’
On information, the Dhaka University Journalists Association leaders rushed to the police station at about 8:00pm, rescued them in critical condition and rushed them to the university medical centre.
University medical centre duty physician Nur Mohammad said they found marks of injuries on most of their body parts.
Sub-inspector Mehedi Hasan told New Age that they asked them not to ride double on motorbike.
‘They were locked in an altercation with the police over the double riding, resulting in passerby’s beating them, and we rescued them,’ he claimed.
Subinspector Mehedi also claimed ‘We took them to the police station after rescuing them and handed them over to the custody of one Sifat.’
‘See, police can ride pillion since they work all the day…he told us that he will report on us as we were riding pillion at the time. I told them you cannot write on that,’ he said, adding, ‘we were following government notification on riding pillion, which does not give any privilege to journalists.’
The DUJA secretary Sanaul Haque Sunny in his reaction demanded punitive action against police brutality.
‘If justice is not done, we will call a demonstration on Monday,’ he threatened.
The Raman police station officer-in-charge Mashiur Rahman later in the night visited the injured journalist and his friend in the DMCH premises.
He said that they have already identified the people involved in the brutal act and assured the journalist leaders that necessary actions would be taken.

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"NTV Channel Chairman and BNP Chairperson Khaleda’s adviser Mosaddek Ali Falu held"

Detectives detained Mosaddek Ali Falu, adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, at Gulshan office of the party chief in Dhaka this evening.
Falu was detained when he came out of the office around 8:00pm, Sayrul Kabir Khan, a press wing staff of the BNP chief, told The Daily Star.
Members of Detective Branch (DB) of police stopped the SUV carrying the BNP leader and drove away with it after getting into the vehicle, Khan said.
Falu went to the office and stayed there for around 30 minutes, he added.

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