MP incites attack on journalists in Cumilla

Two journalists were reportedly attacked and their equipment confiscated yesterday by supporters of AKM Bahauddin Bahar, the member of parliament from Cumilla-6 and also the Awami League candidate in the upcoming 12th national election.

The incident occurred near the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium in Cumilla city.

Enamul Haque Faruk, a reporter for Ekattor TV, and his cameraman, Saidur Rahman Sohag, were allegedly targeted by Bahar's supporters when they were covering the MP's campaign event.

According to Enamul, he and Saidur were preparing for a live broadcast when Bahar's supporters, acting on the MP's orders, assaulted them. They took their mobile phones and equipment.

Saidur corroborated Enamul's account, stating that MP Bahar himself pointed them out to his supporters and incited the attack. He described being beaten indiscriminately by Bahar's personal assistant.

Witness Bahar Rayhan, joint secretary of the Cumilla Press Club, further confirmed the journalists' claims.

He said, "After the meeting, MP Bahar declared that no TV journalists would be allowed at his events. He then spotted the Ekattor TV crew and verbally abused them before his supporters physically assaulted them and took their equipment."

Rayhan also revealed a previous incident on 18 December, the first day of Bahar's campaign, where the MP threw an orange at him from the stage and ordered his supporters to search him.

MP Bahar declined to comment when contacted, citing his busy schedule.

This latest incident follows MP Bahar's 18 December call to his supporters to "break the limbs" of any BNP-Jamaat worker found supporting an opposing candidate.

A video of the speech went viral, prompting widespread criticism and two show-cause notices against Bahar. Cumilla-6 Parliamentary Election Investigation Committee Chairman Md Siraj Uddin Iqbal served the notices on him on 19 December.