Human Rights Commission orders investigation of TBS journo attack

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the local administration to investigate the attack on Abu Azad, staff correspondent of The Business Standard, while collecting news on illegal brick kilns in Chattogram's Rangunia upazila.

Chattogram Deputy Commissioner has been asked to report to the commission after taking action upon an investigation into the incident by 1 February, according to a release issued by the commission Monday (26 December). 

Referring to a news titled "Journalist attacked while collecting news in Rangunia", the NHRC release stated that on the instructions of Islampur union parishad Chairman Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, Mohiuddin Talukdar (Mohan), a member of the union, along with 5-6 others carried out the attack. 

Narrating the incident, journalist Abu Azad said that he reached Moghachari on the Chattogram-Rangamati road around 10am Sunday to collect news of illegal brick kilns in Rangunia. 

TBS journo beaten by brick kiln owner for collecting info on illegal kilns

He found some people were lifting soil there and taking to an unnamed brick kiln. As he stepped up to photograph the action, Mohan and his men beat him, targeting a pistol on his head. 

Abu Azad was then picked up in a white car and taken to Maghachari market where he was publicly beaten. Later he was taken to Mohan's office, tied up and tortured. They took away Abu Azad's mobile phone, wallet and ID card. 

The attackers also withdrew money from his bKash account and demanded Tk50,000 as ransom. They also threatened to kill him.

Expressing concern over the incident, the Human Rights Commission said that such cases of torture of journalists are alarming as well as illegal brick-making without the approval of local authorities is a serious threat to nature. 

It said a thorough investigation into the matter and appropriate legal action against those responsible is imperative.