A journalist in Bangladesh was severely injured during an attack at a shrine in Sirajdikhan upazila of Munshiganj district. The incident occurred at the Lalon shrine, known as Padmahem Dham, in Dosharpara village. The victim, identified as Kabir Hossain, served as the shrine’s president and photographer for the Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo.
Police took Jahangir Madbar, a local Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader, into custody following the attack. The police mentioned a long-standing land dispute involving Kabir and Jahangir linked to the shrine. An argument over the issue escalated, leading to the attack on Kabir Hossain.
Witnesses reported that Jahangir and his group stormed the shrine premises and attacked Kabir with sharp weapons, causing severe injuries. Kabir’s brother, Takbir Baul, was also injured during the incident. Locals and devotees rescued the injured and took them to a health facility for treatment.
Kabir, speaking from the hospital, disclosed receiving threats for the past six months aimed at removing him from the shrine. He accused Jahangir and several others of attacking him with a machete, resulting in serious head injuries. Bangladesh has seen a rise in attacks on journalists, continuing under the current BNP administration.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to fulfill his promise to protect media freedom. They called for an end to the partisan persecution of journalists and emphasized the importance of independent journalism as a constitutional right and democratic necessity.
