A journalist was allegedly assaulted while reporting on the use of substandard materials in a road construction project in Kumarkhali municipality of Kushtia on Saturday.
MA Ullash, general secretary of Kumarkhali Press Club and Kumarkhali correspondent of Bangla TV, sustained injuries in the attack and is undergoing treatment at Kumarkhali Upazila Health Complex.
The incident took place around 12:30pm in the Kundupara area of the municipality.
MA Ullash said he went to the site after receiving complaints that low-quality bricks, sand and brick chips were being used in the road construction.
He alleged that a group of people, led by the brothers and nephews of Afzal Hossain, a Jamaat-backed lawmaker from Kushtia-4, attacked him while he was collecting information for his report.
Police personnel at the scene tried to intervene, but failed to bring the situation under control as the alleged attackers outnumbered them, according to the journalist.
Local residents later rescued MA Ullash and took him to the Kumarkhali Upazila Health Complex, where he was admitted for treatment.
Attempts to contact the accused for their comments were unsuccessful.
The incident drew strong condemnation from journalists in Kushtia.
Several journalists at the Kushtia Press Club described the attack as an assault on press freedom and called for the alleged attackers to be identified and brought to justice.
Kumarkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Jamal Uddin said he had heard about the incident.
“We have heard about the incident. If we receive a written complaint, legal action will be taken after an investigation,” he said.
As of the filing of this report, preparations were underway to file a case with the police station.
