Newsman on the run for corruption report

Munshi Torikul Islam, Kushtia correspondent of UNB news agency and daily Ajker Kagoj as well as Executive Editor of local daily Ajker Sutropat, also faces a 'false extortion case", filed by the clinic owner.

The case was filed after a report was published in local daily Ajker Sutropat that one Dr Aminul Haq Ratan, owner of Tofazzol Hossain Health Center, on June 8 gave a certificate to a government employee to save him from punishment.

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The employee was arrested in June for an alleged offence, confined in jail for six days and then served with a show-cause notice.

But the doctor certified that the employee was sick and was under his treatment, according to the newspaper report.

Ratan was former general secretary of Kushtia Sadar upazila Awami League.

On June 9, one Ripon, son of late Mofazzol Hosain and Mukter, son of Mokbul Hossain, known for criminal activities in the town and having links with Dr. Ratan, went to the journalist's house at Amlapara and shouted at him for publishing the news and threatening of death threat.

Torikul Islam filed a general dairy (GD) with Sadar police station. Police sent the GD to a Magistrate Court, seeking prosecution order.

On the other hand, Dr. Ratan filed a case under the Speedy Trial Act alleging that the journalist and his elder brother had demanding Tk one lakh toll from him.

The GD was sent to a Magistrate Court on June 28. The court on the same day sent the GD to police for investigation.

Police received the court order at about 11.30 pm and sent the investigation report next morning, saying that the journalist and his brother were "guilty".

"But the general dairy (GD) I filed is still with the court," the journalist said.

Sources told this correspondent that the journalist is unlikely to get bail because the case has been lodged under non-bailable Section 327 of Speedy Trial Act.