Cops blamed for seizing journalist’s cell phone

Raihan Ahmed, AA Correspondent

In Kurigram’s Chilmari upazila, a bodyguard of the Superintendent of Police (SP) has been accused of seizing a journalist’s mobile phone and deleting photos and videos on the SP’s orders.

The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday night at around 10:30 PM. However, Police Department has denied the allegation, claiming that the individual did not identify himself as a journalist at the time of the above occurrence. According to reliable sources, on April 10 morning, a clash broke out between two groups of people in the Haripur Shaharer Mor area, located between Chilmari upazila in Kurigram and Sundarganj upazila in Gaibandha.

The clash was triggered by allegations of harassment against a mother and daughter who had come to visit the newly constructed Teesta Bridge. The situation escalated, prompting a response from the army personnel, who arrived on the spot to bring the situation under control. Later that night, at around 10:30 pm, Kurigram District Police Super Md. Mahfuzur Rahman visited the location. Local journalist Jahangir Alam Saddam was present at the scene and took photos and videos. Jahangir Alam Saddam complains that the SP’s bodyguard seized his mobile phone and deleted all content including photographs and video clips before returning it. Jahangir Alam Saddam said, “When the SP arrived, I was capturing photos and videos. The Police Super’s bodyguard told me to hand over my phone. A police officer accompanying him took the phone and deleted the photos and videos.”

Another journalist, Saiyed Ahmed Babu, commented, “As far as my knowledge goes, the Kurigram SP is not someone who would do such a thing. A senior police officer like him is under professional obligations to work with civilians in a polite, respectful and cooperative way.” Chilmari Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdur Rahim said, “The SP was indeed there after 10 PM on Thursday night but I am not aware of any incident involving a phone being taken.” In response to the allegations, SP Md. Mahfuzur Rahman stated, “This is misinformation. During the operation that night, a young man was filming in the dark. I just told him not to record. He didn’t introduce himself as a journalist, and he didn’t have an ID card either. We assumed he was filming to post his content on Facebook. That’s why the video was deleted. We didn’t make any remarks against the media.”

On the other hand, on Friday night at 8:30 PM, a statement was issued to the press by Kurigram Police Media Cell Officer and Detective Branch OC Md. Bazlar Rahman. The statement claimed that the incident was misrepresented in various media outlets. According to police force, on the night of April 10, a special operation was conducted based on a tip-off regarding weapons in the context of ongoing tensions over a harassment incident near the newly built Haripur Teesta Bridge. During the operation, an unidentified young man began recording video without revealing his identity. Fearing that the video could leak confidential details of the operation on social media, he was advised to delete the footage. The police personnel claim they were unaware that the individual was a journalist at that time. The statement from Kurigram Police added, “Police Department and mass media are partners. No offensive words were used against media outlets”.  

Kurigram Police also expressed concern that the way the incident has been reported by some media outlets has caused confusion among ordinary people.