Outrage as journo produced in court with rope tied around his waist

Journalists and civil society members in Feni expressed condemnation after a journalist was brought to the court with a rope tied around his waist.

They also said the cases filed against him were "false".

The arrestee, SM Yusuf Ali, of Feni's Daganbhuiyan upazila, is the bureau chief of Dainik Adhikar and editor of online news portal fenireport.com.

Lawyer M Shahjahan Saju, who stood for Yusuf in the court, claimed that Jahangir Alam Sarkar, former superintendent of Feni police, lodged several false cases against four journalists, including his client, to harass them in 2019.

Though they secured bail from the High Court in the cases. Yusuf, somehow, failed to appear for a court hearing in one of the four cases filed with Chhagalnaiya Police Station, the lawyer added.

Police arrested him around 1:30am yesterday and produced him before the court. He landed in jail after the court hearing.

Abu Taher, a journalist and freedom fighter, said it was condemnable that a journalist was taken to the court with a rope around his waist.

Advocate Laxman Banik, president of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) Feni chapter, a civil society platform working on good governance, said SP Jahangir lodged "false" cases against journalists.

"It is not lawful to produce a journalist a before a court with a rope around his waist."

Feni Reporters' Unity President Shahadat Hossain and General Secretary Didarul Alam demanded action against Jahangir upon investigation.

Feni SP Jakir Hasan said the rope was removed after his identity was known.