Miscreants kidnapped a journalist and asked him to quit journalism

ABDUCTED journalist Golam Sarwar was ordered to quit journalism by the miscreants who dropped him off in Kumira area of the Port City Chattogram on Sunday. They grabbed him from behind when he was about to board on a rented motorcycle two days before. Abduction, intimidation, harassment for revealing corruption are common in Bangladesh, where Digital Security Act has virtually shackled the freedom of press and expression. The journalists themselves are also to be blamed for obstructing the free press. Most of them are party activists and not professional journalists. They are also not united.
Sarwar went missing since he left his Battery Lane residence in the Port City on Thursday. His family said they could not trace him since then, his phone was also found switched off. Sarwar works for an online news outlet that ran a story that alleged the minister’s family member’s involvement in land grabbing. When the journalist regained consciousness, he found himself tied in a dark room. Few masked men used to beat him daily in that room for past four days. The journalist sustained severe injuries on head and legs due to the torture.
 While torturing, the miscreants told Sarwar that he was a journalist with almost no fame and so his life had no security. Why did he make such report and work as a journalist? Asking Sarwar to quit journalism, they also claimed that they would roam unpunished if they kill all journalists like Sarwar. From the abductors’ words, we understand who are behind the abduction and what is their intention? The government is responsible for protecting the life of every citizen under the legal binding.
 In almost every case, torturing journalists go unheeded. The government is also not keen to protect journalists against torture and forced disappearances. The minister involved must have his own thugs to punish the journalist.