UNB, Dhaka :
Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh (CRAB) will submit a memorandum to the Inspector General of Police on Monday demanding punitive action against the police officer responsible for assaulting ETV journalist Akhil Poddar.
It was announced at a rally organised by CRAB in front of the Jatiya Press Club on Sunday demanding punishment of assistant sub-inspector Abul Kalam Azad of Kumarkhali Police Station in Kushtia district
for torturing the journalist. CRAB president Aktaruzzaman Lablu presided over the rally conducted by its secretary Abu Saleh Akand.
The association of the crime reporters will hold another rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club on Tuesday to press home their demand as it decided to continue their agitation until punitive action is taken against the cop.
Among others, general secretary of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) Jahangir Alam Prodhan, Dhaka Reporters Unity general secretary Ilias Khan, president of DRU Cooperatives Society Mahmudur Rahman Khokon, former CRAB president Parvez Khan, its former secretary Moazzem Hossain Lablu, president of CRAB Cooperative Society Sabbir Ahmed and its secretary Nesarul Haque Khokon and former CRAB joint secretary Kamaruzzaman Khan spoke at the programme.
ASI Abul Kalam Azad along with his force stopped Special Correspondent of ETV Akhil Poddar at Jilapitola intersection under Kumarkhali police station at about 8:30pm on August 26 when he along with another local journalist Monirul Islam Moni was returning to his village home at Khoksa from Kushtia town by a motorcycle.
At one stage, the police officer physically assaulted Akhil Poddar after an altercation. He took them to the police station handcuffed. Later, they were freed as the local journalists cordoned off the police station demanding their release.
After the incident, ASI Azad was suspended and a three-member inquiry formed to look into the incident.
