On the afternoon of November 9, Rony, a Rajshahi correspondent for the online newspaper Bangladesh Journal, and Alim, a reporter for the online news portal Rajshahi Post, were attacked by a group of individuals associated with the BCL, the student wing of ruling Awami League, at the Rajshahi College in western Bangladesh.
A BCL member, Masud Rana, requested an exception as he was not allowed to attend the take-in-course examinations after regularly missing class, but the professor refused. Following the denial, Masud and other BCL activists engaged in an argument in front of the mathematics department. The situation escalated as the activists vandalised flower tubs, and when journalists Rony and Alim attempted to document the incident, the BCL activistssnatched the mobile phones and beat them in front of the college principal. The journalists were pushed repeatedly into a wall until they lost consciousness.
Alim was treated for a blood clot in his back and extensive bruising, while Rony received medical attention for a severe head injury, with both journalists still recovering in hospital. On November 11 campus BCL leadership suspended eight members for their alleged involvement in the attack and university officials formed a committee to investigate the incident.
The IFJ has documented several similar incidents of harassment and violence against journalists by members of the BCL on other campuses in Bangladesh. On September 24, student journalist Mosharrof Shah was attacked and threatened by a group of individuals while on campus at the University of Chittagong, after reporting on a factional clash of the BCL. In August, the IFJ recorded several unprosecuted assaults on journalists involving individuals connected to the BCL.
The IFJ said,“It is alarming to see an increase in violence against journalists on campus in Bangladesh. IFJ demands the BCL take action against its groups and ensure the safety of campus journalists to continue doing their work of reporting. IFJ also asks the government to take steps to try to rein in and convict BCL activists of its followers and to decrease violent attacks on journalists and to allow them to continue doing their job of reporting the facts.”