Seven journalists attacked while reporting on ‘ragging’ at Barishal hospital

Seven media workers have been attacked while attempting to gather news on alleged student ragging at Barishal’s Sher-e-Bangla Medical College. The issue was later resolved in a meeting between senior journalists and doctors.

The journalists allege that they were attacked by a group led by the principal and two teachers on Saturday afternoon on the college campus.

They were identified as Channel 24's Barishal Bureau chief Kausar Hossain Rana, cameraman Ruhul Amin, Asian Television Bureau chief Firoze Mostafa, cameraman Azim, BanglaNews24.com's staff reporter Mushfiq Sourav, Time Television reporter Shaqil Mahmud and cameraman Sumon Hasan.

"A student at the medical college went to the principal's office to complain about ragging,” said Channel 24 cameraman Ruhul Amin. “After receiving word of this, we interviewed the student.”

"Suddenly, four to five doctors led by Dr Bakiullah of the Department of Community Medicine and Prabir Kumar Saha, an associate professor of the Department of Pathology, attacked us. They vandalised our cameras and beat us.”

Firoze Mostafa, bureau chief of Asian Television, said the guardian of the third-year student who was the victim of ragging was also present. The journalists were attacked in front of them. Along with the principal, some doctors and office assistants took part in the attack, he said.

Kausar Hossain Rana, bureau chief of Channel 24, believes that the attack was carried out to protect those involved in ragging.

"This attack should be investigated and prosecuted. Senior journalists came from different parts of Barishal after learning of the incident. Later, a reconciliation meeting was held in the vice-principal's room," he said.

Principal Faizul Bashar, Vice-Principal GM Nazimul Haque, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashraf Hossain, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Fazlul Haque held a meeting with senior journalists Humayun Kabir, Murad Ahmed, Akhtar Farooq Shaheen and the press club’s General Secretary Zakir Hossain.

“The principal apologised during the meeting and later a compromise was reached between the two parties,” Kausar said.

Some students of the college said that two days ago, Nilima Hossain Jui of the 50th batch ragged some third-year students. One of them took ill afterwards and had to be hospitalised. The student then went to the principal to complain about the incident and the journalists were attacked soon afterwards.

Principal Faizul Bashar said, "A committee has been formed to investigate the incident. Action will be taken against those involved in ragging.”

However, referring to what happened with the journalists as “unwarranted”, he said, "This incident happened due to a misunderstanding. The matter was resolved at the meeting.”