Three journalists allegedly attempting to flee to India arrested in Bangladesh

Dhaka: Three journalists and another person were taken into custody while allegedly attempting to flee Bangladesh through the northern Mymensingh border with India, the police said on Monday.

Prominent journalists Mozammel Babu, the chief editor of the private Ekatoor TV, and Bhorer Kagoj editor Shyamol Dutta, who were among the four detained while attempting to flee in a car early on Monday, were considered close to ousted premier Sheikh Hasina's regime and face “several cases” in Dhaka.

Others taken into custody included Ekatoor TV reporter Mahbabur Rahman and driver Selim, the police said.

They were initially detained by the neighbourhood people near the zero line of the Dhobaura border of Mymensingh district at 6 am, the police said.

The villagers later handed them over to Mymensingh police, it said.

Private Samoy TV channel reported that Babu and Dutta, both prominent faces, were assaulted by locals who snatched away the money they were carrying before calling the police.

“They are now in our custody and their safety has been ensured during their stay in the police station. We have enhanced the security vigil,” a police officer said.

The official said the Mymensingh police were awaiting concerned officials to take them to Dhaka for required legal procedures.

The police in Dhaka on August 21 arrested another journalist couple Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed while they were preparing to onboard a France-bound aircraft.

The couple has been charged with murder during the anti-reservation students movement that eventually turned out to be a mass upheaval leading to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government on August 5.

Identical murder charges have been lodged against several other journalists, drawing concern from international journalist rights groups and watchdogs.

The interim government of Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus indicated they were unlikely to be arrested until thorough investigations into the allegations against them.