The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has submitted its findings to a Chattogram court in a case filed against 49 individuals, including Awami League leaders and 28 journalists, over allegations of attempted abduction, assault, and publishing false news during the July uprising.
The report says that the plaintiff, Hasina Mamtaz, a former teacher of Mohara Sayra Khatun Quaderya Girls High School and College, did not appear before the investigation officer (IO) despite repeated notices, calls and messages over the past year, and failed to present any evidence or witnesses.
Hasina had filed the case on September 4, 2024. Later, the court directed PBI to investigate and submit its findings.
According to courts sources, PBI Chattogram Metro Unit Inspector Mostafizur Rahman Chowdhury submitted the report this January.
The case had accused several Awami League leaders and Bangladesh Chhatra League activists of attacking the demonstrating students with lethal weapons on July 16 and 17, 2024 in Muradpur, Chattogram.
The plaintiff alleged that journalists distorted facts and published fabricated reports.
Among the accused are: former information minister Mohammad Ali Arafat; Hasina Mohiuddin, mother of former education minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury and president of the Chattogram Metro unit of Mohila Awami League (AL); AL leader Helal Akbar Chowdhury Babor; former BCL Chattogram president Nurul Azim Rony; Saibal Das Sumon; Nur Mostafa Tinu; Farid Mahmud; BCL leader Jakaria Dastagir; and journalists Suklal Das; Reaz Haidar Chowdhury; Pramal Kanti Dey Komol; Anupam Shil; Debdulal Bhoumik, secretary of Chattogram Press Club; Azhar Mahmud; Ratan Kanti Debasis; Tapan Chakrabarty; photographer Uzzal Kanti Dhar; BFUJ leader Kazi Mohsin; Ekramul Haque Bulbul; Ramen Das Gupta; Mintu Chowdhury; Uttam Sen Gupta; Kutub Uddin; Hritik Nayon; Rahul Das; Subal Barua; Runa Ansari; Rafiqul Bahar; Ayon Sharma; Aminul Islam Munna; Bishwajit Raha; Masudul Hoque; Rashed Mahmud; Hamid Ullah; Samresh Baiddya; and Shourav Bhattacharya.
The case statement also alleges that journalists present at the New Market area on August 4, 2024, picked up demonstrating students and handed them over to AL leaders and activists after assaulting them.
However, the investigation officer’s report emphasised that no witnesses or documentation supported these claims, and no complaint was lodged with the Bangladesh Press Council regarding false reporting.
Inspector Mostafizur noted that during the protests, journalists were performing their professional duties and no evidence was found that they assaulted students or handed them over to AL activists.
“We repeatedly asked the plaintiff to appear, but she did not respond. Notices were served four times, yet she neither came to the PBI office nor presented any witnesses,” he told The Daily Star.
When contacted, plaintiff Hasina admitted that she had failed to appear, saying she was in Cox’s Bazar and had sent her brother to speak with police. When asked why she had neither appeared to give her testimony over the past year nor produced any witnesses, she could not provide a satisfactory explanation.
