8 journos roughed up in Ctg

The injured were Dainik Bhorer Kagaj Bureau Chief Omar Kaiser, its staff reporter Alamgir Sabuj, Editor of Ekushey Patrika (a local newspaper) Azad Talukder, Ekushey Patrika reporter Saiful Islam, Mintu Chowdhury of Dainik Suprobhat Bangladesh, Suman Chowdhury Moni of Dainik Purbokon, Biplab Dutta of Dainik Azadi and Sajib of Channel i.

Of them, Alamgir Sabuj, Azad Talukder and Saiful Islam were critically injured and undergoing treatment at the port city's Royal Hospital and Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

Sources and witnesses said Omar Kaiser along with his wife, coming out of his office at Lusai Bhaban around 10:30pm, put a small shopping bag on top of a private car.

The driver of the car Abul Khair reacted with swearwords and they were involved in an altercation.

The driver called Rezaul Kabir Azad, owner of the car, and he was locked in the verbal confrontation too. Journalists who were present in the area came to Kaiser's aid and they were entangled in the altercation.

Rezaul Kabir Azad called in a gang of criminals and they attacked the journalists within minutes of his phone call with iron rods and machetes.

The gang consisted at least 10 members and known criminals including Sohel, Farhad, Rassel, Saidul, Khairul, Babar, Bappa, Rana, Amzad and Jasim.

Locals, however, captured Jasim, Saidul, Rana, Khairul and driver Abul Khair and handed them over to the police.

Omar Kaiser filed a case with the Kotwali Police Station accusing eight people.

Later, more than one hundred journalists rushed to the spot, brought out a procession and held a protest rally at the Cheragi Pahar intersection.

Chittagong Press Club President Abu Sufian, General Secretary Kalim Sarwar, Chittagong Union of Journalists President Shahidul Alam and General Secretary Riaz Haider addressed the rally.