False case filed against journalist again in Lakshmipur

Staff Correspondent:
After giving false information to the police in Lakshmipur, land grabber Azad has once again filed a case against a journalist and his sister. Last (November 8), Azad's sister Anwara Begum filed the case against 9 people including journalist Rakib Hossain Roni. Today (November 13), Monday, journalist Roni pleaded guilty in court and applied for bail. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Judge Mansur Uddin granted bail.
Journalist Rakib Hossain Roni is the son of Abul Hossain of Shilpi Colony area of Lakshmipur Municipality. He is the Lakshmipur district correspondent of the national daily Banik Barta newspaper and the executive editor of the online news portal (newspaper) Top Sangbad.com. Land grabber Azad is the son of Mohammad Ulya of Sonali Colony area. He is a local drug dealer and has been creating terror in the area under the patronage of some influential people.
Meanwhile, the journalist community of Lakshmipur has strongly condemned and protested against the series of cases filed against the journalist. Several organizations, including the Lakshmipur Press Club and the District Reporters Club, have strongly demanded the withdrawal of the false and conspiratorial cases against the journalist.
According to the case, on Wednesday, November 8, at around 11:30 am, journalist Rony and other defendants attacked Mohammad Ullah's house with country-made weapons, vandalizing the house, looting cash, and beating him with the intention of killing him.
The main incident is that on that day, Azad tore off the clothes of himself and his family members and staged a false drama and had the police search the journalist's house. However, at that time, journalist Roni was staying with camera journalist Kishore Kumar Dutta of Focus Bangla and Boishakhi TV to perform his professional duties. The 6th accused in the case, expatriate Zahir, had left for Oman before such an incident. In addition, the other accused in the case were staying at the Lakshmipur Police Superintendent's office at that time to respond to the allegations made by Azad earlier. Such an incident has created anger among the locals.
Locals say that journalist Rony collected information about the incident of land grabber Azad vandalizing, looting and injuring the boundary wall of an expatriate named Zahir in the Sonali Colony area of the municipal city over a land dispute. Enraged by this, Azad is harassing the journalist by filing two false cases in a row.
Journalist Rakib Hossain Roni said, "At that time, I was staying somewhere else with journalist Kishore to collect information. Azad searched my house after bringing the police with false information. Later, when I contacted the investigating ASI Mukbul over the phone to find out the matter, he said that he did not know whether the house belonged to the journalist. Moreover, there is no complaint against journalist Roni either. However, the next day, a false case was filed involving me and a false case was fabricated and an attack was committed. I demand a proper investigation and trial of this incident."
Lakshmipur Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Lokman Hossain said that a woman has filed a case with the police station alleging the attack. However, the name of any journalist was not mentioned in it. The matter will be investigated and legal action will be taken.
Lakshmipur District Reporters Club General Secretary Nazrul Islam Joy said, "After journalist Ismail Hossain Zabu, two false and baseless cases have been filed against journalist Rony. We strongly condemn and protest against this."
Laxmipur Press Club President Hossain Ahmed Helal said, "One after another, false and harassing cases are being filed against journalists. In continuation of that, a malicious group has filed a case against budding journalist Rakib Hossain Rony. We strongly condemn and protest against such a conspiratorial incident. We strongly demand the withdrawal of the false case against the journalist as soon as possible."