Journalists from two private satellite television channels were brutally assaulted by a suspected drug trafficker and his associates on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred in the West Rajashan area of Savar, Dhaka, while the media personnel were conducting an investigative report on local narcotics trade. Following the attack, Savar Model Thana Police took immediate action, apprehending four individuals in connection with the violence.
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Incident Overview and Victims
The team of media professionals included Taifur Rahman, , along with his camera operator, Kaiyum, and their driver, Joynal. They were joined by Saddam Hossain. According to the victims, they arrived in West Rajashan on Friday morning to gather testimonies and data regarding the prevalence of drug trafficking in the locality.
The situation escalated as the team prepared to depart. While they were recording CCTV footage of an alleyway allegedly used for narcotics transactions by a local dealer identified as Shamim, an unidentified individual approached them. As Taifur Rahman exited the vehicle to communicate, a mob of approximately 40 to 50 people, armed with indigenous weapons and led by Shamim, launched a coordinated assault.
Details of the Casualties and Injuries
| Name | Role/Affiliation | Nature of Injuries | Medical Status |
| Taifur Rahman | Senior Reporter | Stabbings to the abdomen and back | Stable; transferred for specialised care |
| Saddam Hossain | Correspondent | Severe injury to the right eye | Referred to National Eye Institute |
| Kaiyum | Camera Operator | Physical assault and battery | Under medical observation |
| Joynal | Driver | Physical assault; vehicle damage | Under medical observation |
Accounts of Hostility and Abduction
The assailants did not limit their violence to physical battery; they also vandalised the journalists’ vehicle, shattering the glass. Taifur Rahman stated that the mob forcibly confiscated their belongings and abducted them, moving the group to a garage owned by Shamim. During this period of unlawful detention, the journalists were subjected to further physical abuse.
Taifur Rahman recounted that when they requested to be taken to a hospital, Shamim refused, stating they would only be released into police custody after providing a written undertaking (Muchelka). Relief eventually arrived when a team from the Savar Model Thana Police reached the site, rescued the victims, and facilitated their transfer to medical facilities.
Saddam Hossain, speaking from his hospital bed, highlighted that the attack was likely premeditated retaliation. He had recently published two investigative reports regarding Shamim’s criminal activities. He noted that during the fracas, Shamim allegedly threatened him with a firearm while another assailant stabbed him three times, with one strike narrowly missing his eye.
Medical and Legal Response
Sonia Rahman, an emergency department official at the Savar Upazila Health Complex, confirmed the severity of the wounds. She noted that both primary patients bore distinct stab wounds. While one journalist’s condition was deemed stable, the significant ocular trauma sustained by the other required an urgent transfer to the National Institute of Ophthalmology (National Eye Institute) in Dhaka.
Arman Ali, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Savar Model Thana, confirmed that police intervened as soon as the report was received. He stated that four suspects were detained at the scene. Law enforcement agencies are currently conducting raids to apprehend the primary suspect, Shamim, and his other accomplices. Legal proceedings and the filing of a formal case are presently underway.
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