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Published : 04 Sep 2025, 07:17 PM
Somoy TV journalist Mohammad Siam has been beaten during the bail hearing of journalist Monjurul Alam Panna, who was arrested over a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Siam was beaten, punched and kicked by some lawyers in the courtroom of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Hasib Ullas Piyas on Thursday.
Former minister Abdul Latif Siddique, journalist Panna and 16 others were arrested following unrest at a discussion at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Aug 28. The next day, Shahbagh police showed them arrested in a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act and sent them to jail.
The bail hearing for Latif and Panna was set for Thursday, but only the latter was brought to the courtroom from jail.
He was taken to Courtroom No. 30 on the eighth floor of the Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court at around 2:55pm.
After Panna was taken to the dock, his helmet was removed. Then Panna said to the police, “Why are you doing this? I am not your enemy.”
At that time, journalist Muktadir Rashid, who was standing near Panna, said: “Brother, have you been tortured inside the jail?”
Panna replied, “No.”
Then, lawyer Mohiuddin Mahi threatened Muktadir to leave the courtroom.
Muktadir said, “Only the judge has the power to throw me out of the courtroom. If he says so, I will leave. Let him say it.”
Upon hearing this, the lawyer grew agitated and tried to hit Muktadir. Siam, who was standing next to the lawyer, tried to stop him.
As this was happening, the judge entered the courtroom and the bail hearing began.
Siam told the lawyer, “He is not an outsider, he is a journalist.”
As soon as he said it, lawyer Mahi jumped up from the bench and punched him in the ear. Siam tried to grab the attention of the court by raising the microphone in his hand.
However, the lawyer dragged him away. Before Siam could understand what was going on, some of the lawyer's associates surrounded him and started beating him however they could. After being slapped, punched, and kicked, Siam began to bleed.
Seeing the unrest, the judge left the courtroom and returned to his chambers. Qayyum Hossain Nayan, a lawyer on the side of the prosecution, rescued Siam and took him to the witness stand.
Under pressure from the agitated lawyers, Muktadir was eventually thrown out of the courtroom.
Later, Siam said, “Some lawyers formed a mob and beat me in front of the judge for no reason; I want justice.”
The judge returned to the courtroom at 3:25pm. After that, the court heard the bail petitions of Latif and Panna and rejected them.
Later, lawyer Mahi described the beating of the journalist as "unfortunate” and claimed that he was not involved in the beating.
