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NSI men swoop on lensmen

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Nine photojournalists of different national dailies were injured, three of them critically, when National Security Intelligence (NSI) personnel yesterday swooped on them in front of the NSI office at Segun Bagicha in the capital.
The trouble began as a photojounalist was doing his professional duties.
Protesting the NSI action, fellow journalists barricaded the road in front of Jatiya Press Club, halting traffic for about two hours in the afternoon. They demanded
punishment of those involved in the attack on photojournaliasts.
The injured are Mir Ahmed Miru of the Janakantha, who is also secretary of Bangladesh Photo Journalists' Association (BPJA), Anisur Rahman of The Daily Star, also joint secretary of BPJA, Wahid Hassan Raja of the Bhorer Kagoj, AKM Musa of the Sangram, Masud Parvez Milon of the Financial Express, Hasanuzzaman Tarun, Enamul Kabir and Sheikh Mamun of the Janakantha and Mohammad Sharif of the Naya Digonto.
Witnesses said Enamul Kabir was taking photographs of graffiti on the newly-painted boundary wall of the NSI office at about 12:30pm. NSI men held him and took him inside their office.
On information, Mamun rushed the spot but NSI men also nabbed him. "They seized our cameras and motobikes and tortured us in their office for more than two hours," Kabir alleged.
Hearing the news, Anisur Rahman rushed there and saw three men taking Kabir's motorbike. "As I tried to settle the matter, around 100 NSI personnel swooped on me and started beating," he said.
"As I tried to take a snap of NSI men beating Anis bhai, they snatched my camera and attacked me," said Raja who was nearby.
The other photojournalists then turned up there and fell victims of brutal attack, Raja added.
"Even shopkeepers, rickshawpullers and hawkers tried to help us but police remained inactive," Raja said later.
Policemen in two trucks reached the spot but remained silent spectators as the mayhem continued for more than one hour, Anis said. "We requested them to rescue us but they ignored and simply laughed at our plight."
When journalists were making phone calls to their senior officials, NSI men shouted to them 'Call all the fathers (big bosses) and see if they can save you', Anis said.
A rickshawpuller later took away Raja, others managed to flee the spot while Kabir and Mamun remained in NSI custody.
Raja and Anis were admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital and later shifted to Holy Family Red Crescent Hospital. Other injured were treated at different hospitals.
NSI men then handed over Kabir and Mamun to Ramna Police Station.
Leaders and members of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) and BPJA then barricaded the road in front of press club and demanded release of the two journalists and punishment of the persons responsible for assaulting their collegues.
The road blockade created huge traffic jam stretching from Paltan crossing to old High Court.
Senior police officials including Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner SM Mizanur Rahman later went to the press club to resolve the problem.
Kabir and Mamun were then released.
NSI headquarters remained mum on the incident.
Photojournalists will demonstrate today in front of the press club at 11:00am and continue their agitation until proper action is taken in this regard. BPJA President AKM Mohsin said, "We want an end to attacks on journalists."