Attack on Blitz office: No action yet by police

After 6 days of the notorious attack of the office of Weekly Blitz, Bangladesh police is maintaining complete silence in taking minimum action against the culprits, belonging to the ruling party. It is further alleged that, instead of arresting the accused criminals, members of Paltan Police Station are regularly meeting them and giving various suggestions of taking bail from the court. Police even did not visit the area for any investigation.

On February 22, 35-40 armed terrorists belonging to the ruling party, led by Ruhul Amin attacked the office of Blitz newspaper. They instructed the caretaker named Anwar of the commercial center named Skylark Point [where the Blitz office is located] to lock the outside gate and continued their notorious actions in the broad day light for hours in presence of members of law enforcing and various intelligence agencies. The CCTV of the building was also put switched off by the management of the building as the attackers were influential and notorious goons belonging to Bangladesh Awami League.

Despite lodging of a case more than 5 days back [Case No. 65, under section 143, 448, 323, 342, 384, 380, 427 and 506], members of law enforcing agencies in Bangladesh are showing extreme reluctance in arresting any of the attackers, mostly belonging to the ruling party, who attacked the office of Weekly Blitz on Sunday [February 22, 2009], physically assaulted the editor and other members, abused the female staffs and looted laptop and other valuables in a broad day light, in presence of One Shamim from DGFI [Directorate General of Forces Intelligence]. Members of law enforcing agencies were witnessing the incident silently as the attackers were mostly activists and members of the ruling party in Bangladesh.

Others who were in the gang are identified as Ruhul Amin, Shintu, Liton, Yunus, Anwar, Siraj, Lavlu, Kajol etc. According to police sources, most of them were thugs belonging to the ruling party.

On February 22, 2009 at 10am [Sunday], local time, internationally-acclaimed journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, was attacked as he was working in the office of Weekly Blitz, by a gang of thugs belonging to Bangladesh's ruling Awami League. Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury was under medical treatment for eye, neck, and other injuries those he suffered in the attack.

The renewed violence marks the first against him since he was abducted by Bangladesh's dreaded Rapid Action Battalion in March 2008. It may be mentioned here that, the military backed interim regime withdrew police protection from the residence of the Blitz editor in May last year.

A large group of armed hooligans, co-led by one Shamim introducing himself to be an official of DGFI [army intelligence], stormed Blitz premises and attacked newspaper staff until they found the editor. They locked the editor in a room and continued various forms of physical assaults thus abusing him to be a 'Mossad Agent', 'Israeli Agent' etc. Culprits are continuing to occupy the Blitz office.

Meanwhile, one of the leaders of the attacker's gang named Ruhul Amin is continuing to give threats to the Weekly Blitz editors and other members of the newspaper on immediately withdrawing the case. In a phone call, Ruhul Amin said, 'I give you people only 24 hours time. Withdraw the case; otherwise our next target is Choudhury's residence.'

Earlier a person named Advocate Shintu, claiming to be the advisor of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, phoned the Blitz editor and demanded TK. 500,000 [US$ 8,400 approximately] as extortion. Shintu also told the Blitz editor that, he is one of the decision makers helping Sheikh Hasina in appointing her cabinet colleagues.

It is worth mentioning here that, on Tuesday [March 3, 2009], Bangladesh police arrested a person named Afzal, who was reportedly using the official telephone of the Home Minister, Advocate Sahara Khatun and giving threats to various people. Similarly a person named Advocate Shintu [Mobile phone number 0171-9314578], introducing himself to be an advisor to Sheikh Hasina [Prime Minister] continues to call various people, thus giving threats or demanding extortion. This person called the editor of Weekly Blitz several days back and demanded TK. 500,000 as extortion. It may be further mentioned here that, Advocate Shintu a number of Awami League leaders are reportedly calling Paltan Police Station and instructing the officers not to take any action against the attackers, who attacked the office of Weekly Blitz on February 22.

Weekly Blitz tried to find the reason behind reluctance of police in taking any action against the culprits as to why the attackers are yet to be arrested. On condition of anonymity, a source in police said, 'We have already become captive in the grips of the political government and its cadres. We can watch crime, but cannot take actions. Because, if we take any action against those party activists, then we shall face various forms of departmental harassments and humiliations.'

An official of Weekly Blitz contacted some of the senior officials in Bangladesh Police, including the inspector general as well as Commissioner of Police [Dhaka] and informed them about lodging of the case on February 22, 2009. Copy of the FIR [First Information Report] was also sent to those officials with the appeal of initiating immediate investigation into the matter and arresting the culprits.

But, none of these senior officials are taking any action in this regard. It is learnt that, several influential leaders belong to the ruling party are continuing to call the police officers asking the reason of recording the case. They are also warning the police officers of severe consequence if any of the accused in the case are arrested or interrogated.

When contacted, an officer on duty at Paltan Police Station told Weekly Blitz that, they have specific instruction of neither investigating the case nor arresting anyone as the accused are from the ruling party.

Weekly Blitz has already sent written complaints to various authorities in Bangladesh about the reluctance of police in taking any action against the attackers. But, since filing of this report, there is no action in this regard. Commissioner of Police, Nayeem Ahmed was not available for any comments on this matter as he was busy with the ongoing investigation into the matter of February Massacre inside the headquarters of Bangladesh Riffles on February 25-26. But an officer in the office of the Police Commissioner told Weekly Blitz that instructions have been sent to Paltan Police for taking immediate action against the culprits.

Inspector General of Police [IGP] Noor Mohammed, whose son-in-law, Captain Mazharul Islam was also brutally killed during the BDR Massacre in Dhaka was also not available for comments on the incident of terrorist attack at the office of Weekly Blitz. But a source at Police Headquarters told this correspondent that, the IGP is very strict about taking action against terrorists and culprits irrespective of their political identity. The source further said IGP Noor Mohammed has personal attention towards according proper security to the members of media in Bangladesh. It said, police headquarters is already investigating the issue of reluctance by the Paltan Police Station in taking any action against the culprits, who attacked the Weekly Blitz office.

Since installation of government led by Bangladesh Awami League, reign of terror is established throughout the country by musclemen and hooligans belonging to student's wing, youth wing, volunteer's wing and other pro-ruling party elements in Bangladesh.

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Attack on Blitz office: No action yet by police

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