POBNEWS24 Dhaka Sept 4, 2025 : Lawyers attack journalist by creating a “mob” in front of the judge The incident took place in the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Hasib Ullas Piyas on Thursday afternoon.
Somoy Television journalist Asif Mohammad Siam said, “A few lawyers beat, punched and kicked me.”
Siam was seriously injured in the incident. He was given first aid.
The journalist was beaten while gathering news at the bail hearing of journalist Manjurul Ahsan Panna in the Anti-Terrorism Act case of Shahbagh Police Station in Dhaka.
Latif Siddiqui, journalist Panna and 16 others were arrested from a program of Dhaka Reporters Unity on August 28. They were sent to jail on Friday after being shown the arrest of Shahbagh Police Station under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The bail hearing of Latif Siddiqui and journalist Panna was scheduled for Thursday. Although Latif Siddiqui was not produced in court, journalist Panna was produced in court.
A few journalists went to the court to collect this news. At around 2:55 pm, journalist Panna was taken to courtroom number 30 on the 8th floor of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka.
At that time, Bangla Outlook’s special correspondent Moktadir Rashid asked journalist Manjurul Ahsan Panna if he had been tortured in prison. At that time, Advocate Mohiuddin Mahi, who was sitting on the bench of the court, asked him the reason for talking to the accused. They had some argument over the matter. At that time, Advocate Mohiuddin asked him to leave the court.
The journalist asked him, ‘Are you a court inspector? You are asking me to leave. I will leave if the judge says so.’ In the meantime, the judge entered the courtroom and the hearing of a case of Shahbagh Police Station began.
At that time, while standing a little distance away, TV reporter Siam came and told the lawyer that he was not an outsider, but a journalist. As soon as he said this, he jumped up from the bench and punched him in the ear. At that time, Siam tried to grab the TV microphone that was in his hand and attract the attention of the court. However, the lawyer dragged him away. Before Siam could understand anything, some of his associates surrounded him and started beating him. Siam was seriously injured.
At that time, the judge, seeing the situation in the courtroom, came down from the courtroom and went to Khaskamra. Later, Qayyum Hossain Nayan, who was on the side of the prosecution, rescued the journalist and took him to the witness stand.
In this regard, Siam said, ‘I have been beaten up for no reason. I want justice for this incident.’
Another journalist, Moktadir Rashid Romeo, said, journalist Panna was brought to the court wearing a helmet, handcuffs and a bulletproof jacket and blowing the police whistle. I saw him very devastated. After removing the helmet, Panna addressed the police and said, “Why are you doing this? I am not your enemy. Standing nearby, I asked journalist Panna, “Brother, have you been tortured in jail?” Journalist Panna replied, “No.” At that moment, lawyer Mohiuddin Mahi started threatening me to leave the court. I said that only the judge has the power to remove me from the courtroom. If he says so, I will leave. Let him tell me.” Upon hearing this, the lawyer tried to beat me, but another journalist, Asif Mohammad Siam, who was standing nearby, tried to calm him down. He requested the lawyer to follow the rules of the court. Enraged by this, the lawyer beat Soimoi Television journalist Asif Mohammad Siam and at the same time started abusing me like a puppy or a pig. The police were standing nearby. They were just watching like spectators. Several lawyers commented at that time that the reign of the “mob” has begun in Bangladesh.
