UP chairman orders to kill journalist Rabbani: Police

Journalist Golam Rabbani
Collected

Police have confirmed journalist Golam Rabbani has been killed at the instructions of local UP chairman Mahmudul Alam.

"It is certain from statements of witnesses that the chairman gave instructions to carry out the murder. He is the main culprit of the murder. Efforts are on to arrest him," Jamalpur superintendent of police Nasir Uddin Ahmed told Prothom Alo.

Mahmudul Alam is the chairman of Sadhurpara union parishad. He is also the general secretary of union Awami League.

There are allegations that the chairman was angry with journalist Rabbani for publishing news which had gone against him (chairman).

Journalist Golam Rabbani came under attack at Pathati area in Jamalpur’s Bakshiganj upazila at around 10:00pm on Wednesday..

He died while undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital at around 2:30 pm on Thursday.

He was Jamalpur district correspondent of ‘Banglanews24.com’ and Bakshiganj upazila correspondent of Ekattor TV.

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Rabbani's mother Aleya Begum is bewailing the loss of her son. The picture was taken at the residence of Bakshiganj on Friday morning.
Prothom Alo

Police have detained 10 people based on CCTV footage analysis in connection with the murder. They all admitted that they are followers of the chairman. Chairman Mahmudul has gone into hiding after the killing. No case was filed following the murder till Friday evening.

An eyewitness narrated how journalist Golam Rabbani based in Bakshiganj upazila in Jamalpur was killed on his way home by his motorbike. On the day he was attacked, at 10:15 pm on Wednesday, a local journalist, Al Mujaheed, accompanied him on a separate motorbike. They were returning home via Pathati intersection of the upazila.

The CCTV footage shows them on two motorbikes.      

Al Mujaheed, Bakshiganj correspondent of two local newspapers: 'Jobabdihi' and 'Desh Bangla,' was acquainted with Golam Rabbani.

Al Mujaheed told Prothom Alo that the miscreants first pulled Rabbani down to the ground from his moving bike. Then he was taken forcibly to dark place of T&T road. Some 15 to 20 miscreants, already there, started beating him up mercilessly. And the prime accused Mahmudul Alam alias Babu, chairman of Sadhurpara union parishad (UP) was directing them at a distance from the scene.

At one stage, an attacker broke off a brick from the wall. The chairman's son hit Golam Rabbani with the brick. The journalist repeatedly begged for his life, but in vain. They swooped down on him mercilessly. Later they left the scene, leaving him unconscious.

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According to relatives of Rabbani, colleagues and local sources, chairman Mahmudul Alam and his accomplices were staying in the locality even after carrying an attack on Rabbani. They fled the locality immediately after the news of his death spread.

Talking to Prothom Alo over phone, Bakshiganj upazila Awami League general secretary Ismail Hossain said, "Not only the residents of Bakshiganj but also the people all over the country have brought out allegations against the chairman (Mahmudul Alam). Meanwhile, the district Awami League has given instructions to temporarily expel the chairman from the party. He will be expelled."

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10 suspects arrested

Police detained 10 people watching video footage and carrying out operations at different places of upazila till Friday evening.

The detainees include Golam Kibria alias Sumon, Md Tofazzal, Md Kafil Uddin, Mohammad Aynal Haque, Md Shahid and Fazlul Haque. They are between 28 and 35 years of old.

Of them, Golam Kibria's residence is near the spot of murder, Pathati area. He is known as an activist of Jubo League, an associate body of Awami League

Aynal Haque is known in the locality as very close to chairman Mahmudul. It has been confirmed in the locality that rest are the followers of the chairman.

Police super Nasir Uddin said, "No case has been filed in connection with the journalist murder till Friday evening. However, a case will be filed very soon. Ten suspects have been detained so far over the incident."

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