IU Correspondent:
A group of students of the Economics department were seen attacking journalists while covering their Internal clash. The incident occurred at the football field in front of the Birsheshtha Hamidur Rahman Central Auditorium on Sunday afternoon.
During the inter-session football tournament of the Economics department, students of two sessions got involved in a clash. Meanwhile, Amader Barta correspondent Arif Billah took a short video clip of the moment. Suddenly, Afsana Parvin Tina of Economics department snatched his mobile phone, and asking the reason, another group of students including Nahid Hasan, Minhaj, Sourov Datta, Sabbir, Panna under 2020-21 academic session and Saiful Islam, Rakib, Hridoy, Moshiur Rahman Rion and Ozil under 2022-23 academic session assaulted Arif Billah.
Later, Barta-24 correspondent Nur-E-Alam started recording video. Then they also attacked him. Meanwhile, Coordinator SM Sweet, Co-Coordinator Golam Rabbani, University Rover Scout Group Secretary Khandak A Saem tried saving the journalists, but they again and again attacked them.
After a while, another Journalist Rabiul Alam tried to capture the moment and they attacked him also.
Upon hearing the altercation, some of the other journalists rushed toward them and they also got attacked by the students.
Eyewitness Ishtiaq Ferdous Emon said, ‘I went towards the field after hearing an altercation. Several students were beating up a journalist. When another journalist standing nearby tried to video record, he was also told to stop. Later, when he didn’t stop recording, they came and kicked him.’
Arif Billah said, ‘While performing my professional duties, capturing an altercation and fight between two groups on the football field, Afsana Parvin Tina came and snatched my mobile phone. When I inquired about her taking my phone, immediately 8 to 10 boys came and suddenly started slapping, hitting, and punching me.
Immediately after, when journalist Nur E Alam started filming the attack on me, 10 to 15 boys also began beating him. At this time, coordinator SM Sweet, co-coordinator MG Rabbani, Rover Scout Group Secretary Khandaker A Saim, and journalist Nazmul Hossain came to rescue us, but they assaulted us again in front of them.
Afterwards, when journalist Rabiul Alam arrived at the scene, he was also attacked by the students. They slapped, punched, and kicked him. At that moment, Rabiul fell to the ground.
The accused Afsana Parvin Tina and Nahid Hasan were called multiple times; however, Nahid Hasan’s phone was found switched off.
Dr Partho Sarathi Laskar, chairman of the Economics Department, ‘I heard about the incident. But I am unaware of the actual story behind this. We will make a decision after discussing it.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. M Yeaqub Ali said that disrespecting journalists was inappropriate. If the administration had been formally informed, proper actions would have been taken following an investigation. Such behavior towards journalists will not be tolerated. The Islamic University is doing well because of the journalists. Journalists should be given the opportunity to carry out their professional duties with dignity. In this regard, the administration should also cooperate to protect the rights of journalists.
