3 Feni journalists sued over attack on July mass protests

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Feni, Sept 17 – A new case has been filed against three journalists over an attack during the student-led July movement at the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court in Mohipal, Feni, more than a year after the incident.

The case was filed on Wednesday by Enayet Ullah, a resident of Purbo Sujapur village of Sonagazi upazila.

The journalists named as accused are Shafi Ullah Ripon, UNB Feni district correspondent; Shakawat Hossain Don Chowdhury, senior reporter of Daily Feni; and Sahed Sabbir, staff reporter of Daily Feni.

The case also named former MPs Masud Uddin Chowdhury (Feni-3) and Nizam Uddin Hazari (Feni-2), former Feni municipal mayor Nazrul Islam Swapan, and 106 others, including 50–100 unknown individuals.

According to the complaint, on August 4, 2024, during a student protest under the Mohipal flyover, Awami League activists and their associates allegedly opened fire on protesters under the instructions of local leaders, which resulted in killing 9 and injuring more than 200 people.

The plaintiff claimed that he was also shot and later faced difficulties seeking medical treatment, which delayed filing the case.

He also said that he has evidence of the attack on his phone but declined to comment further.

Following the court filing, Feni journalists held an emergency meeting at the Feni Reporters’ Unity, and condemned attempts to involve journalists in the case, calling it a plot to suppress press freedom.

They also threatened broader protests against journalist harassment.

Muhaiymin Tajim, former coordinator of the Feni anti-discrimination movement, called the case 'questionable'.

He said that it was an attempt to weaken real public uprising cases and discredit the July movement.

Journalist Shafi Ullah Ripon said the case appears linked to recent news reports published in Daily Desh Rupantar and Daily Feni about law and order issues in Sonagazi, which may have angered certain groups.

He also claimed that he was injured during the July movement and received a media award for his reporting last year.

The journalists and local observers said that attempts to intimidate reporters in connection with the July movement were part of ongoing harassment efforts. - UNB