Two journos of Nabtan held for extortion

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Staff Reporter

Alleged journalists of The Daily Nabtan published from Sarishabari in Jamalpur (Black listed ) are being arrested one by one for extortion.

Police arrested two fake journalists of Nabtan on Monday (August 2) evening while extorting money in the name of DB police in Islampur.

The arrested are Helal Uddin, 45, son of Abu Khan of Mahmudpur Baniabazar village in Melandah upazila of the district and Abdul Hakim Mandal, 44, son of Abu Taher Mandal of Panchpayla (Ghonabari) village.

The police arrested them from Tartapara village of Noarpara union of the upazila on the basis of information provided by the locals. At that time, two identity cards of Melandha correspondent of ‘Dainik Nabtan’ were recovered from them.

According to the police, the two fraudsters, identified as DB police, demanded 5,000Tk from Madhu Rabidas’ wife Budhia Rani in Rishipara of Taratpara village on Monday afternoon. Poor Budhia Rani gave them one thousand money in the fear of arrest. When they pressured for another four thousand money, there was suspicion among the locals.

Meanwhile, the locals arrested the fraudsters and took them to the house of Asaduzzaman Asad Master, president of Noarpara Union Awami League. Fearing mass beatings, the fraudsters later introduced themselves as journalists of the newspaper. On receiving the news, the police went to the spot and arrested them.

Noapara Union Beat Policing Officer and Investigation Officer SI Atiquzzaman said there were allegations against the detainees: they collected cards of an unknown newspaper called Dainik Nabtan with money on the occasion of Eid. Then in collusion, sometimes journalists, sometimes DB police in different places, they were harassing innocent people by extorting money and mobile phones by showing intimidation including extortion.

Islampur Circle Assistant Superintendent of Police, Sumon Mia said an extortion case was filed against the detainees with the police station at night. He said they were handed over to the court on Tuesday afternoon.

There are allegations that several members of the same family, as journalists of the daily Nabatan, carried out various misdeeds in the area. Mofazzal Hossain, the newspaper’s editor, was earlier jailed in a defamation case and had been on the run for a long time. Due to the moral lapse of the Deputy Commissioner, Shahabuddin Khan canceled the declaration of the newspaper. They have continued to print the newspaper and commit various misdeeds in defiance of the administration’s ban.

Sayem Shimul, the eldest son of the editor and the managing editor, was detained by the police along with Yaba tablets. Editor’s nephew Tareq Hasan along with another associate was arrested and extorted by the mob on the night of December 5, 2019 while trying to extort money at Charjangaldi Dashani Bazar in Sherpur Sadar Upazila. He was later jailed twice in an extortion case.