At least 2 journos killed, 29 injured while covering quota protests

At least two journalists were killed and 29 others injured while covering quota reform protests across the capital today.

One of the deceased was identified as Mehedi Hasan, 35, a staff reporter from Dhaka Times, said Inspector Md Bacchu Mia, in-charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) police outpost.

Mehedi was brought to DMCH from the Jatrabari area around 7pm. He had bullet wounds in his body, he said.

Deedar Maleki, the news editor of Dhaka Times, also confirmed the matter to TBS.

Another journalist, identified as Md Shakil Hossain, was killed during a clash in Uttara area. An identity card was found in his bag showing him as Gasa (a upazila of Gazipur) correspondent of Daily Bhorer Awaj, eyewitnesses told TBS.

According to eyewitnesses, police shot him with rubber bullets in the stomach. He was severely injured and was taken to Bangladesh Medical College Hospital where on-duty physician declared him dead on arrival.

28 injured including four of TBS

Meanwhile, at least 28 journalists from various media outlets, including four of The Business Standard, sustained injuries while covering protests in different parts of Dhaka, according to sources from the media houses. 

Four TBS journalists were wounded in Jatrabari, Rampura and ECB Chattar areas of the capital when anti-quota protesters clashed with members of the police and ruling party's student-wing Chhatra League.

In one of the incidents, a group of unidentified people attacked and beat up TBS reporter Rokonuzzaman Moni and Camera person Md Kajol Sikder in front of the Jatrabari Police Station. The attackers even tried to snatch their cameras and microphones.

Rokonuzzaman Moni suffered severe injury in the head. Later, both journalists were taken to Insaf Barakah Hospital in Moghbazar.

In another incident, TBS photojournalist Rajib Dhar was shot six times with rubber bullets by policemen while covering protests in Rampura.

Moreover, TBS special correspondent Jasim Uddin was beaten up by a group of people, claiming to be quota protesters at the ECB Chattar.

"Some quota protesters swooped on me while I was crossing the ECB Chattar area around 1:30pm today. They suspected me as a Somoy TV journalist," Jasim wrote on a Facebook post.

"When I started screaming and told them that I am not a Somoy TV journalist but I work for The Business Standard, they stopped the assault and apologised to me," he added.

Moreover, journalists from News24, Boishakhi TV, Bangla vision, Daily Sun, Banglanews24.com, Daily Amader Shomoy, Ekattor TV, Shomoyer Alo and some other media houses were also were also injured during clashes.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) held demonstration at the National Press Club today, protesting the attacks on journalists.