Journalist says beaten up by BCL men while covering clash

A journalist says he was beaten up while covering the clash between activists of Chhatra League and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal on High Court premises near Dhaka University (DU) area today.

He was beaten up even more when he identified himself as a journalist to the attackers, said injured Abir Ahmed, a reporter of The Daily Campus, an online portal.

Abir told The Daily Star that at least 20 BCL leaders and activists attacked him from the back while he was returning after covering today's clash between BCL and JCD men.

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"When they attacked, I dropped my phone. When I tried to pick up my phone, they again beat me up and at one stage, they snatched the phone from me. I was beaten up even more after I introduced myself as a journalist," Abir said.

The incident happened in front of the mosque on the High Court premises, our Dhaka University correspondent reports.

Saddam Hossain, general secretary of BCL's DU unit, said, "The activists were given clear instructions to ensure the safety of journalists and yet this incident occurred. This is very sad and unexpected. We will look into the complaint."