DHAKA: The High Court on Sunday (April 09) asked the authorities concerned to investigate the incident of torture on a journalist in Maradipur.

Shahidul Islam, the Kalkini upazila correspondent of Bengali daily ‘Jay Jay Din’, was tortured tied to a tree on Friday (April 07). Later, he was detained by police.

According to the HC order, the inspector general of police (IGP) will have to submit the investigation report before the court within 30 days.

The HC bench of Justice Quazi Rezaul Haque and Justice Mohammad Ullah passed the order on a suo moto move following a report published in the Bengali daily ‘Kaler Kantha’ on Sunday.

The HC bench also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government to explain why legal action should not be taken against the persons who were responsible for torturing Shahidul Islam.

Home secretary, IGP, DIG of Dhaka range, superintendent of police (SP) of Madaripur and some other government officials were made respondents to the rule.

Delivering the order of investigation, the HC asked the IGP to assign a police official not below the rank of SP for conducting the investigation.

The court fixed May 14 for next day of hearing.

Deputy attorney general Tapos Kumar Biswas moved for the state in the court.

Daily Kaler Kantha published report under the headline ‘Sangbadikke gachhe bendhe nirjaton, pore mamla diye greftar’  (Journalist was tortured tied to tree, later arrested and sued).

According to the report, Shahidul Islam was tortured when he went to Purba Enayetpur union to collect information on UP election campaign.

Later, police arrested the journalist and sued him in an extortion case. He was produced before the court on Saturday (April 07).

According to the family members of Shahidul Islam and others, the ruling Awami League-backed chairman candidate Badal Talukder and his supporters assaulted the journalist.

BDST: 1739 HRS, APR 09, 2017
EHJ