Main accused still at large

After a brutal attack on a journalist in Chandanaish upazila of Chattogram, the police have been unable to arrest the main accused even after four days of the incident.

Ayub Miaji, a local journalist, was allegedly beaten and pushed off the roof of a two-storey building on Tuesday afternoon. The attack was reportedly carried out by a group of individuals, who were angry about Miaji's news reports on hill cutting and providing information to the administration.

Miaji works as the Chandanaish upazila correspondent for the national daily Janobani and the local daily Sangu. He is now receiving treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital for his critical injuries.

The victim's father filed a case with the local police station accusing two named individuals and several unnamed persons. The named accused are -- Md Alauddin, 35, and Md Faruk, 26, both residents of the same upazila.

However, the police have been unable to arrest either of them yet. Several locals have alleged that Alauddin is involved with Jubo League politics but the local Awami League lawmaker Nazrul Islam Chowdhury has denied this.

"The criminals attacked my son for reporting on their misdeeds," said Abdus Shukkur, the victim's father. "But police could not arrest them till now. Meanwhile, influential quarters are pressuring us to withdraw the case. We are passing days amid insecurity. Now they (influential people) are trying to implicate me in a false case," he claimed.

Chandanaish Press Club's President Delwar Hossain alleged that the police were "not cordial" in arresting the criminals. "They arrested a person who was not involved in the attack. It's just an eyewash. There is CCTV footage which clearly shows who were involved in the attack," he said.

Anwar Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chandanaish Police Station, denied the allegation and said the police were conducting drives to arrest the accused individuals.

Chattogram's Superintendent of Police (SP) SM Shafiullah said he had strictly directed the local police station to arrest the accused immediately. He also suggested the victim's family members file a general diary (GD) with the police if they feel insecure.

The doctors treating Ayub declined to comment on his physical condition but an anonymous source claimed his condition was stable.