Doctors attack scribes again

At least 10 journalists were injured when doctors of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital attacked them with rods and sticks late on Sunday.

Sub-Inspector Mizanur Rahman, in-charge of the hospital’s Police booth, said the journalists were attacked around 10:30pm on Sunday when they were trying to gather information for a report.

Boalia Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saidur Rahman Bhuiyan was removed the same night after journalists alleged that the police had been a spectator during the attack.

Eye-witnesses said the relatives of a patient at the hospital’s Ward no. 13 was involved in a scuffle with an intern doctor around 9:30pm.

They alleged the patient was not being treated properly.

As the situation escalated, Machhranga Television cameraman Masud Rana went to the hospital to report the incident.

Interns at the hospital attacked him.

Later a group of angry interns tried to enter the ward no. 13, but the police locked out the room with the patients inside.

More journalists arrived and they found the doctors trying to break the lock.

SI Mizanur Rahman said. “When the journalists tried to film that, the interns attacked the reporters.”

Channel 24 cameraman Raihan and Jamuna Television cameraman Russel Mahmud were seriously injured.

They were both admitted to a private hospital. Russel was later sent to Dhaka as his condition deteriorated.

Channel 24 reporter Abran Shain said the doctors, after attacking Raihan and Russel, also charged at other journalists who tried to defend them.

“The interns grabbed batons from the policemen and charged at us. But the police did nothing,” Shain alleged.

“They attacked us with bamboo sticks and rods and injured several of us," he said.

Shain said Liton of Independent TV, Rubel of ATN News, Daily Janakantha photographer Salahuddin, Independent TV reporter Mainbul Hassan Johny and Sunshine reporter Rahidul Islam were all injured.

After the attack, journalists in Rajshahi rushed to the hospital. They staged a protest in front of the hospital at night.

Local MP Fazle Hossain Badsha, who is a member of the hospital board, Rajshahi-3 MP Ayen Uddin, city mayor Mosaddeq Hossain, Police Commissioner Mahbubur Rahman and hospital director Brig Gen AKM Nasir Uddin rushed to the hospital.

The commissioner removed the Boalia OC from his post immediately after allegations of police inaction.
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Badsha said a committee would be formed to probe and the attackers would be identified from video footages and punished.

Journalists in Rajshahi will stage a protest at the city’s Zero Point at 12pm Monday.