CHATTOGRAM, Mar 11: A Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) investigation has not found any evidence against former state minister for information Mohammad A Arafat and 49 others, including 28 journalists from Chattogram, in a case over a number of allegations, including kidnapping and torture of students during the 2024 July Uprising.
Although the final report in the case filed 17 months ago was submitted to the court, the plaintiff said that the PBI conducted the investigation without speaking to her and said that she would challenge the investigation in court.
The investigating officer alleges that despite notices being sent to the plaintiff at various times, she did not provide any information regarding the case.
On Sept 4, 2024, a woman named Hasina Momtaz filed a case in the court of the then Chattogram metropolitan magistrate Jewel Deb. Momtaz is the daughter of Syed Abul Hasem and hails from the city's Kotwali Thana area. Hasem was the leader of the Chattogram City unit of the BNP. He is currently the leader of the US unit of the party.
The case application names a total of 49 suspects, including 28 journalists from Chattogram.
Investigating officer, PBI Chattogram Metro Region Inspector Mostafizur Rahman Chowdhury, submitted the final report in the case to the Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in late February.
He told bdnews24.com, "The final report has been submitted to the court. Although the plaintiff was given notices at various times, she did not provide any information about the case. Even when we went to her house, she did not provide any information."
Although the investigation report in the case was submitted to the court, the court said it had yet to be heard.
The plaintiff made 10 types of allegations in the case petition. Among them are allegations of kidnapping and torture of students during the Anti-discrimination student movement. After a hearing, the judge ordered the PBI to investigate the case.
The case dossier claims that Momtaz was the principal of Mohara Sayra Khatun Quaderya Girls' High School and College in Chattogram. After Aug 5, 2024, she resigned as the principal of the institution in the face of student protests.
Momtaz told bdnews24.com, "The investigating officer in the case submitted this report without talking to me. He cannot give a final report without talking to the plaintiff."
Expressing her displeasure, she claimed: "The investigation officer did not contact me."
The allegations made against the journalists in the case petition include spreading "misleading and false" news, "covering up" the misdeeds and corruption of an autocratic government, and not publishing pictures of attacks and torture of ordinary students by Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League activists.
It also claimed that they abducted, tortured and handed over protesting students to police in false cases, held meetings with Awami League leaders, detained protesting students at the New Market intersection on Aug 4, 2014 and handed them over to Awami League and Jubo League criminals, attempting to kill students who came to the Cheragi Pahar intersection that day, not publishing news of these incidents, using media vehicles to deliver weapons to Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League criminals, and that they attempt to beat and kidnap the plaintiff during the protests. "bdnews24
