PABNA, June 26 (V7N) – Moniruzzaman Faruk, the General Secretary of Pabna's Bhangura Press Club and a correspondent for the daily Amar Desh, has reportedly been harassed by a leader of Swechchhasebak Dal and an activist of Chhatra League over news publication. The alleged incident occurred on Wednesday (June 25) around 3 PM at a sugarcane tea stall in Sharatnagar Bazaar, Bhangura Municipality.

The individuals accused of harassment are Milon Sarkar, identified as a Swechchhasebak Dal leader, and Bayezid Hossain, a Chhatra League activist. Bayezid is also reportedly a relative of Alhaj Maqbul Hossain, a joint convener of the Bhangura Union Volunteer Party and a former Member of Parliament from Pabna-3 constituency. While the article states Maqbul Hossain was a former MP from Pabna-3 and mentions his affiliation with the Awami League during his time, public records indicate a "Mokbul Hossain" (often spelled Maqbul) from Pabna-2 who was a Jatiya Party (Ershad) politician. The article also describes Bayezid as an "Awami League's time in power" activist, indicating a past association with the ruling party.

According to the report, during the Awami League's previous tenure, Bayezid was known for alleged extortion, torturing ordinary people, and creating terror as a "hired terrorist." Local journalists also recalled an incident a year ago where Bayezid reportedly attacked Manik Hossain, the Bhangura correspondent of Daily Khola Kagoj, with the intent to kill him, resulting in severe injuries and a broken leg. Manik Hossain had filed a case, but Bayezid was allegedly out of reach due to the influence of former Awami League MP Alhaj Maqbul Hossain. Bayezid was eventually arrested on June 21 after a court issued a warrant and was sent to jail on June 22.

On June 22, Moniruzzaman Faruk published an article titled 'Attack on Journalist; Chhatra League activist arrested after a year' and shared it on his Facebook wall. The same afternoon, Bayezid was released on bail and returned to the area.

The harassment incident reportedly unfolded when Bayezid, accompanied by Milon Sarkar, confronted Moniruzzaman Faruk at the tea stall. They allegedly made "various provocative remarks" about him due to the news publication. Faruk attempted to record the encounter on video, which reportedly angered Milon, who then allegedly harassed Faruk in an attempt to force him to delete the footage. Milon also reportedly tried to exert influence by claiming to be a relative of a high-ranking army officer and secretary. Police, alerted to the situation, arrived at the scene and brought it under control.

Yamin Khan, convener of the Pabna District Volunteer Party, condemned the incident, stating, "The matter is very sad and condemnable. Harassment of any journalist cannot be accepted in any way." He added that he has instructed the upazila organization to take "punitive action against Milon."

Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shafiqul Islam of Bhangura Police Station confirmed awareness of the incident, stating, "There was an argument over taking pictures. Later, the police received information and went to the spot and normalized the situation."

Student Politics and Allegations of Misconduct:

The involvement of a Chhatra League activist in this incident highlights persistent concerns about the conduct of student political organizations in Bangladesh. While historically significant in national movements, student politics in Bangladesh has in recent times been criticized for its association with violence, extortion, and various forms of misconduct. Student wings, particularly those aligned with ruling parties, have frequently been accused of exerting undue influence on campuses and in local areas, sometimes acting as "muscle power" for their parent political parties. The Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the Awami League, was banned by the interim government on October 23, 2024, and designated as a "terrorist organization" under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009, specifically citing its role in the "July massacre" of protesters.

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