Star TV’s district correspondent Mohammad Jubair has been attacked during a July Mass Uprising Day event in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram.
A complaint was filed at Ulipur Police Station naming 14 leaders and activists of BNP, and its associate bodies Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal.
Allegations have since arisen that Officer‑in‑charge (OC) Sayed Ibn Siddique is refusing to register the case due to political considerations. Jubair has preserved an audio clip in which the OC told him over the phone that the matter involved “political issues.”
On 8 August, Abdur Rahim, general secretary of Ulipur Upazila Press Club, submitted the complaint on Jubair’s behalf. Three days later, the OC said the complaint required corrections and was still under “scrutiny.”
The complaint accused BNP leader Nuruzzaman Bachchu, Jubo Dal activist Rafiq Hasan, Chhatra Dal leader Mehedi Hasan Maruf and 11 others of attempted abduction and assault.
Jubair said, “After Wednesday’s attack, I was admitted to Kurigram General Hospital. I returned home Saturday afternoon and am feeling somewhat better. But the attackers continue to issue death threats. I filed the complaint Saturday, yet the case has not been registered. I am living in constant fear. Such behaviour from law enforcement is truly unimaginable.”
According to Jubair, he was covering the July Uprising Day programme when BNP and Chhatra Dal activists forced him out of the auditorium. While the OC was delivering a speech inside, BNP activist Shamim dragged him outside, ordered him to leave, and began punching and kicking him, accusing him of publishing “false news.”
Asked why the case was not being registered, OC Siddique said, “There are some political issues. That is why the case has not yet been filed. We are still verifying.”
When pressed on what was being verified, he avoided the question and left, citing a meeting. On the day of the incident, however, the OC had said legal action would be taken once the injured journalist submitted a written complaint after recovery.
Expressing distrust in the OC’s conduct, Ariful Islam Rigan, district correspondent of Bangla Tribune and Ajker Patrika, said, “The OC’s duty is to register a complaint, investigate, and submit a report to court. His delaying tactics raise suspicion about his intentions. If he continues to stall, legal action should be taken against him.”
