2 Ctg journos reportedly attacked while covering news on ex-minister Hasan Mahmud

Two journalists in Chattogram have alleged that they were attacked while covering a story related to graft allegations against former foreign minister and Awami League leader Hasan Mahmud in the Dewan Bazar area of Chattogram near his residence.

The reported incident occurred on Tuesday (15 April) evening in the Dewanji Pukur Par area between some factory workers and Hossain Abbas, a staff reporter at the Chattogram-based IP television channel CPlus, and cameraman Md Sharif, who also claimed their camera equipment was targeted during the incident.

However, according to Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station Abdul Karim, the altercation stemmed from a misunderstanding between the two parties.

Speaking to The Business Standard, journalist Hossain Abbas said, "The ACC is investigating corruption allegations of Tk750 crore against Hasan Mahmud. I went in front of his Dewanji Pukur Par residence to collect footage related to this. We heard that leaders and activists of the Rangunia Chhatra League were stationed with weapons in a nearby building housing a factory. 

"We went to investigate on-site. At that point, 15 people attacked us. Later, local residents came to our aid. We called the police, who arrived, but by then the attackers had locked up the factory and fled."

He added that CPlus authorities would decide on the next legal steps to be taken.

OC Abdul Karim told TBS, "For the past 5-7 years, a company named Glorious Industry has been renting one floor of that building. On Tuesday evening, a scuffle broke out between factory workers and the CPlus journalists while they were recording videos and interviews. The journalists initiated the scuffle, after which the factory workers retaliated."

He further said, "We found the factory closed when we arrived at the scene. We have collected the contact details of the factory authorities. All the workers are from Barishal, not locals from Chattogram. It was a case of misunderstanding. We have obtained CCTV footage of the incident. If anyone files a formal complaint, appropriate action will be taken."