Three journalists were harassed allegedly by a group of Jamaat-e-Islami-backed lawyers and later threatened with imprisonment while covering court proceedings in Dhaka on Tuesday. The “harassment” incident took place on the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court premises.
According to witnesses and video footage, three journalists – Masud Rana of Kaler Kantho, Ariful Islam of Ekushey Television, and Ariful Islam of The Business Standard – were filming accused Amatullah Bushra and her father Nur Uddin Rana as they left the court after a hearing in the BUET student Fardin Noor Parash murder case.
Jamaat-affiliated lawyers, including Rezaul Haque Riaz and Akhtaruzzaman Dalim, objected to the filming and allegedly assaulted the journalists.
When the reporters explained they were working professionally, the lawyers became more aggressive and took them before Metropolitan Magistrate Hasib Ullah Pias, demanding action.
Witnesses said lawyer Dalim snatched a journalist’s phone and accused the complainant, Rana, of bringing the journalists.
Magistrate Pias then called the three reporters into his courtroom, placed them in the dock, and said, “You have created chaos in court. It’s 11:38 now — you’ll be sent to jail.” He ordered their phones to be confiscated.
After a few minutes, the magistrate said he would release them only if they offered unconditional apologies. The journalists complied and were released.
Masud Rana said, “We were just doing our job. The lawyers instigated chaos, and the judge overreacted.” Journalist Ariful Islam called the incident “deeply humiliating.”
The Court Reporters’ Unity (CRU) condemned the incident, calling the judge’s behaviour “unacceptable and overzealous.” CRU President Liton Mahmud demanded disciplinary action against Magistrate Pias and the lawyers responsible, stating that a written complaint would be sent to Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed.
