DHAKA: The attack of Bangladesh Chhattra League (BCL) on Banglanews24.com journalist drew protests and reactions among the political party and the journalist community at the different parts of the country.

A group of BCL armed ‘cadres’ numbering 8/10 attacked Abdullah Al Noman, Banglanews24.com Staff Correspondent in Sylhet, inside Murari Chand University College of the city at the noon on Thursday.

Saifur Rahman and Hasan Ahmed Ovi jointly led the attack. They cadres struck with sharpen weapons on Noman’s head and hands and indiscriminately beat him with lather belt, leaving him severely injured.

Attack on Noman came several days after banglanews published a series of reports over BCL attempts to establish dominance at the college campus recently.

BCL central president and general secretary strongly condemned and protested the attack demanding to bring the culprits under punishment.

The leaders, in a statement on Thursday, said  BCL  always believe in freedom of expression and mass media and the criminals have no place in the party.

Journalists held a protest rally in Jartamura area under Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj district on Thursday night. Rupganj Press Club president Lion Mir Abdul Halim presided over the rally.

Speakers at the rally strongly condemned and protested the attack on Noman. They said journalists become the subjects of different kinds of harassments including attacks and case suing when they penned against the criminals.

Journalists Union Bogra protested the attack on Noman and demanded immediate arrests of the culprits and exemplary punishment to them.

In a statement jointly signed by union president Fazle Rabbi Dollar and general secretary Momimur Rashid Sign condemned the attacked. They urged government to arrange normal security to the working journalists of the mass media.

Feni District Television Journalists’ Forums and Feni Reporters’ Unity along with the other working journalists of the district censured the attack and demanded immediate detention of the culprits.

Leaders of Bangladesh Online Journalists Association, Moulvibazar district chapter, strongly condemned the attacks and demanded to bring the culprits to book.

Meanwhile, police administration vowed to nab the attackers.

On Thursday, Sylhet Metropolitan Police acting commissioner SM Rukon Uddin told banglanews that the attackers would be detained, no matter what party they belong to.

Banglanews Staff Correspondents in Dhaka, Sylhet and Bogra, District Correspondents of Feni, and Upazila Correspondent of Rupganj in Narayanganj contributed to the report.

** BCL men attack banglanews journo in Sylhet


BDST: 1205 HRS, OCT 17, 2014