Bogura, May 29 (V7N) — Three journalists were reportedly held at gunpoint and assaulted in Kichok Union, Shibganj Upazila of Bogura while investigating the alleged black market sale of 200 sacks of government-subsidized food grains (VGF rice) meant for the poor. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon, has sparked outrage and led to the suspension of local political leaders from both the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Awami League.
 
The journalists — Saju Mia, a local correspondent for Asian Television, along with Towhid Mondal and Abu Hasan, reporters from a digital news channel — were attacked when they went to the Kichok Union Parishad office to cover the illegal transport of VGF rice. According to witnesses, a group of 20–25 men, allegedly led by Romzan Ali Ripon, president of the Kichok Union unit of the Jubo Dal (BNP's youth wing), surrounded the journalists, held them at gunpoint, and confined them inside the chairman’s office.
 
There, they were subjected to mob violence. Abu Hasan was critically injured in the attack and was later admitted to the Upazila Health Complex. Upon receiving information, local police rescued the journalists in the evening. UNO Ziaur Rahman, the local administrative chief, visited the injured journalist at the hospital.
 
Following the incident, police arrested two individuals:
– Hafiz Uddin, president of the Kichok Union unit of the BNP’s Swechchhasebak Dal (volunteer wing), who was detained from the local party office.
– Shahin Alam, a former organizational secretary of the Kichok Union Awami League, arrested from the Shibganj Bazar area.
 
That night, Abu Hasan filed a case at Shibganj Police Station, naming Romzan Ali Ripon as the prime accused, Hafiz Uddin as the second, and Shahin Alam as the third among 23 individuals charged in connection with the attack and the misappropriation of relief rice.
 
In response to the incident, both BNP-affiliated organizations have taken swift disciplinary action. In official statements:
– Kichok Union Swechchhasebak Dal president Hafiz Uddin was suspended from his party position by order of Upazila President ABM Madud Rana Masum.
– Romzan Ali Ripon was also suspended from his role as Kichok Union Jubo Dal president, according to a statement signed by Upazila Jubo Dal President Khalid Hasan Arman.
 
Speaking to the press after his release, journalist Saju Mia said, "BNP activists, in collaboration with former Awami League leader Shahin Alam and under the protection of the local chairman, were stealing rice meant for the poor and transporting it for sale on the black market. When we went to report it, they held us at gunpoint and beat us inside the Union office."
 
However, Acting Chairman of Kichok Union and BNP leader Alaudin denied any involvement in the incident.
 
Shibganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shahinur Rahman Shahin confirmed the arrests and said that operations are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects involved in the assault and corruption.
 
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