Kurigram DC withdrawn, new DC appointed

Deputy commissioner of Kurigram Sultana Parvin was made officer on special duty (OSD) on Monday over torturing a journalist.

Mohammad Rezaul Karim, deputy secretary to the Public Administration Ministry, has been made the deputy commissioner and magistrate of the district.

The Public Administration Ministry issued a gazette notification in this regard on Monday.

Meanwhile, three magistrates of Kurigram district administration have been withdrawn for their alleged involvement in torturing journalist Ariful Islam Rigan on Monday.

They are — senior assistant commissioner Nazim Uddin, assistant commissioner Rintu Bikash Chakma and assistant commissioner SM Rahatul Islam.

Ariful Islam, district correspondent of online news portal Bangla Tribune, was jailed for one year and fined Tk 50,000 for ‘possessing narcotics’ by a mobile court at the dead of night.

The local administration claimed that Ariful was arrested with 450ml local liquor and 100g hemp. But Ariful’s wife Mostarima Sardar Nitu claimed that a group of law enforcers entered their home at Charuapara around Friday midnight and picked her husband forcefully without showing any reason.

Out on bail on Sunday, Ariful said he was tortured by the magistrates.