Chattogram journalist alleges he was held hostage, robbed of Tk70,300
According to the complaint, Hossain went to the area around 4:30pm to gather news when a group surrounded him and assaulted him, accusing him of visiting the area for illicit activities.
A senior reporter of Daily Purbodesh has alleged that a group of people held him hostage in Chattogram's Halishahar, threatened him with a pistol and a knife, and robbed him of Tk70,300 while he was gathering news.
The journalist, Abul Hossain, also alleged that he was assaulted, asked to pay Tk2 lakh in ransom, and threatened with blackmail using a video recorded during the incident.
The incident took place on Wednesday (14 October) afternoon near a canal in the Ramna Residential Area. Hossain has filed a written complaint with Halishahar Police Station, naming six people and accusing another 10–12 unidentified individuals.
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According to the complaint, Hossain went to the area around 4:30pm to gather news when a group surrounded him and assaulted him, accusing him of visiting the area for illicit activities.
The group allegedly threatened him with a pistol and a knife before taking him to a marshy area beside a nearby canal. They took Tk15,000 from his wallet and demanded another Tk2 lakh as ransom.
When he refused to pay, the accused allegedly seized his mobile phone, forced him to disclose his bKash account PIN, and withdrew Tk55,300 from the account in four transactions.
The complaint further alleges that the group forced him to hold a packet of condoms and recorded a video to portray the incident differently. They allegedly threatened to kill him and release the video if he reported the incident or sought legal action.
Contacted for comment, Halishahar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Zainal Abedin Mondol told The Business Standard that police had visited the scene and found preliminary evidence supporting the allegations.
"A case has been filed by the victim, and we are conducting operations to bring those involved to justice quickly," he said.
Meanwhile, the Chattogram Union of Journalists (CUJ) strongly condemned the incident.
In a statement issued yesterday, CUJ President Riaz Haider Chowdhury and General Secretary Sabur Shubho demanded the immediate arrest of those involved and measures to ensure journalists' safety.
