Teknaf UNO made OSD after withdrawal: Cabinet secretary

Map of Cox's Bazar
Prothom Alo illustration

The upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, Mohammad Kaisar, who hurled abuse at a journalist, has been made OSD (officer on special duty) after being withdrawn.

The cabinet secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam came up with this disclosure on Monday while replying questions to the newsmen.

Khandker Anwarul Islam said he has already been made OSD. Now, step will be adopted as per the direction of High Court (HC).

Earlier on Thursday night, UNO Mohammad Kaisar called the journalist Saidul Farhad over phone and verbally abused him for publishing a report over the Asrayan Project aiming to shelter homeless people.

An audio of the phone call went viral on Social media, sparking uproar against the UNO from all quarters. A day after the incident, Friday, a meeting – where both attended – was held at Hilldown Circuit House conference room in Cox’s Bazar at the initiative of deputy commissioner Md Mamunur Rashid.

Senior lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan brought the issue to the HC's attention on Sunday.

The HC said, “The language he (UNO) used is reprehensible and unacceptable. No one can speak in such a way except a ‘wrongheaded person’. The language he used cannot be any language at all. The UNO offered an apology and he admitted that his remarks were not acceptable.”

Terming journalists the mirror of society, the court said if they commit any crime, there is a press council [to take steps]. None can speak in such a way, and take the law into their own hands.

Lauding the initiative of the prime minister over providing shelters to the homeless, the court said the language used cannot be accepted in any way. The court asked the deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin to inform the court after knowing what measures were taken over the issue.