Journalist Asadullah arrested

Pabna Correspondent :

Muhammad Asadullah, central Joint Convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) youth wing Jatiya Jubo Shakti, was arrested by police a day after the election while in Pabna-2 to campaign in favor of a “Yes” vote in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election referendum. He was arrested around 1:00am on Saturday (February 14) from Syedpur village under Hatkhali Union by Kamalpur police outpost personnel and later handed over to Sujanagar Police Station.

He is the son of Akmal Sikder of Syedpur village in Hatkhali Union of the upazila. Asadullah serves as central Joint Convener of Jatiya Jubo Shakti, an affiliate of NCP, and is also responsible for its press wing. He additionally serves on the media subcommittee of the Election Management Committee.

Asadullah’s wife, Naima Akter Rima, said police picked him up from their home late Friday night. She alleged that he was shown arrested in a conspiratorial and harassing family-related case. “We are shocked,” she said, demanding his immediate release.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sujanagar Police Station, Khoim Uddin, stated that Asadullah was a convicted accused and was arrested on that basis.

Following the arrest of Muhammad Asadullah—central Joint Convener of Jatiya Jubo Shakti, the youth wing of the National Citizen Party (NCP), and a journalist of the newspaper Amar Desh—his family has raised serious allegations of conspiracy and harassment. They claim the arrest was not part of a routine legal process but rather a planned act of political persecution.

According to his wife, Naima Akter Rima, police took her husband away last Friday without prior notice. She alleged that an old case was deliberately revived to show him arrested in order to socially and politically defame him.

“This is a family and politically motivated conspiracy case. We want justice and demand his immediate release,” she said.

The family further stated that on the night following the election, several local political activists went to their house and smeared paint on Asadullah and his father. When they protested, they were allegedly assaulted. The family claims that as retaliation for protesting the incident, police were called and he was arrested in an old case.

Relatives also alleged that after Asadullah’s sister posted a status on social media, several influential local leaders of the ruling party threatened his elderly father. The family says they are now living in extreme fear and are concerned about their safety and security.