Ctg journos protest as cops seize BNP arrest video footage

Journalists in Chattogram staged a demonstration on Thursday afternoon after one of their fellows faced police interference and threat while filming the arrest of BNP men earlier at noon.

From the rally at Chattogram Press Club, journalist leaders demanded an immediate withdrawal of the cops who allegedly seized the video journalist's camera card and forced him and his reporter to leave the spot at Kazir Dewri BNP office.

Narrating the incident, private TV channel NTV Senior Reporter Arich Ahmed Shah said, "We were returning to the office at noon after an assignment when we saw a prison van in front of the BNP office. Our video journalist Suman Goswami started filming it as cops were escorting some people to the van after arrest."

Arich said while they were performing their professional duties, a group of policemen led by OC Jahidul Kabir of Kotwali Police Station had taken away their camera card and threatened them. 

He told The Business Standard that when they had protested the incident, OC Jahidul had forced them to leave the spot immediately.

Kotwali Police Officer-in-Charge Jahidul Kabir said as the journalists "exaggerated" the situation, he had consequently asked them not to film. "But now they are making an issue out of it." 

On Thursday noon, BNP leaders and activists gathered at Nasimon Bhaban party office at Kazir Dewri to observe the party's founder Ziaur Rahman's birth anniversary. 

Police launched an operation to apprehend the suspects in relation to the clash that had occurred on Monday. Subsequently, four BNP leaders and activists were taken into police custody. 

On Monday, Chattogram metropolitan BNP organised a rally at the party office to press home their 10-point demand and protest the recent power tariff hike. 

A clash ensued between the BNP men and the police around 3:30pm, resulting in the party men throwing brick chips at cops. The agitated mob set fire to a motorbike and vandalised several shops. 

Subsequently on Tuesday, police filed four cases accusing 278 BNP leaders and activists, and 1,300 unnamed people for the arson and vandalism.