Manabadhikar Shongskriti Foundation (MSF), a rights group led by noted activist Sultana Kamal, strongly condemned the killing of journalist Golam Rabbani, Jamalpur correspondent of online portal Banglanews24.

Expressing deep concern, MSF called on the government to take immediate legal action against the identified attackers and ensure exemplary punishment, reads a media release.

“The frequency of attacks on journalists and media outlets in Bangladesh has become alarmingly common, posing a serious threat to press freedom and journalists. Golam Rabbani's death has instilled fear and anxiety among those who value freedom of thought and expression,” it said.

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Considering the importance of media freedom, the role of the media in a democratic system, and the wider implications of this incident on journalism, MSF demands swift arrests and necessary legal measures against those responsible for the journalist's death, it added.

Golam Rabbani was returning home on June 14 when he was attacked by a group of terrorists in Bakshiganj. The assailants physically assaulted him before fleeing the scene, leaving him unconscious.

Golam Rabbani's wife, Monira Begum, alleged that her husband was killed on the orders of Mahmudul Alam Babu, Chairman of Sadhurpara UP in Bakshiganj Upazila, due to his news reporting.

She claimed that her husband had been subjected to various forms of harassment before the incident, and it was the Chairman's associates who carried out the killing. Monira Begum demands that those involved in the incident receive exemplary punishment.

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Local residents rescued and rushed him to Bakshiganj Upazila Health Complex with severe injuries. Due to the critical nature of his condition, he was later transferred to Jamalpur General Hospital during the night for better medical care. However, as his condition worsened, he was admitted to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital on the morning of June 15, 2023, where he passed away while undergoing treatment.

Mohammad Sohel Rana, the officer-in-charge of Bakshiganj police station, said that six individuals have been arrested based on CCTV footage, and efforts are underway to arrest others.

However, no formal case has been filed at the police station in relation to the journalist's murder.

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