Take legal action against those who tortured journo Ariful
The way Bangla Tribune's Kurigram district correspondent Ariful Islam was picked up from his residence reminds us of assaults on someone's house by miscreants. But those who beat him up blindfolded were not miscreants, they were in fact officers of the state, tasked to safeguard the public from the criminals.
Public administration ministry secretary Shaikh Yusuf Harun has said it seems that law has been violated in sentencing the Kurigram journalist to jail setting up a mobile court at the dead of the night.
We feel it was not only a violation of the law, but also a heinous crime to beat him in front of his wife and minor children. Once he got the bail, he was rushed to a hospital, which indicates that he was beaten black and blue.
Ariful's family claims that the mobile court's version of catching him with 450ml local liquor and 100g hemp is a white lie. Even if he had narcotics in his possession, do they have the right to manhandle him? This is a big crime.
On Sunday morning, Ariful was released on bail. But his family said they had not appealed for a bail. We assume he was released on bail amid negative feedback in the media and social media.
On Sunday afternoon, we were told that the DC Sultana Parvin was being relieved of her duties.
When a government employee violates the law and misuses his or her power, we only see them being made OSD or handed in a transfer. And that's it. We do not see them being awarded legal punishment.
Journalist Ariful Islam has borne the brunt of the DC because he performed his professional duty. Picking him up from his residence, torturing him and sending him in jail on a false charge of possessing narcotics is an example of sheer power misuse. Only withdrawing the DC is not enough, legal actions should be taken against her and her accomplices.
And not only Ariful Islam, many journalists are being harassed every now and then by the influential quarters. A Dhaka-based journalist named Shafiqul Islam has been missing for quite some time while the editor of the daily Manabzamin and 31 others have been sued in digital security act. This needs to stop.