Rangpur Bureau

An allegation has been made against the Social Services Office for executing a harassing search warrant at Rangpur Press Club General Secretary Marina Lovely's husband's house on Ahle Hadith Mosque Street on Central Road in the city in the name of recovering documents.

Marina Lovely has been living with her elderly mother-in-law, brother-in-law and son in her husband's house on Central Road in Rangpur city.

On Thursday (August 28) at 12:30 pm, a team of police including Rangpur Metropolitan Kotwali Police Station OC Ataur Rahman and Nawabganj Police Outpost In-charge SI Abdullah conducted a search at Marina Lovely's husband's house in the name of recovering documents of the press club. They stayed for about two hours and left without finding anything. Meanwhile, lawyers Jobaidul Islam Bullet, Mokshed Bahlul, Rubaiya Sultana Popi and Zahurul Islam, who are handling the Press Club case, held a press conference at the city's Central Convention Hall at noon on the harassment incident in the name of recovering documents.

At the press conference, the lawyers said that the Press Club works for the welfare of the country and the nation. But fueled by a group, the Department of Social Services has illegally appointed administrators due to registration and occupied the Press Club. At the same time, all members of the Press Club have been stopped from traveling to the Press Club. After the mass uprising of 24, the question of why the administration would occupy the Press Club is on the minds of conscious citizens. The Press Club has important secret documents of corruption, torture, and mismanagement of the fallen, fascist government, documents of various allegations, pen drives. There were various important documents of the July Revolution, including those of martyr Abu Sayeed. He alleged that a group is working to destroy them. As a result, it will be necessary to investigate who is being given benefits by occupying the press club.

The lawyers said, “Today the ADM has implemented the social service search warrant through the court. 8 months ago, the Social Service Department appointed the Additional District Administrator as the administrator of the press club. The administrator is controlling the Rangpur Press Club. All the documents, papers, and accounts of the press club were preserved in the press club. Even after the learned court had ordered a ban on the membership induction process through the administrator twice in a row, everyone knows why such a malicious search warrant was implemented through the Additional District Magistrate Court under the district administration and a respected person was harassed. Such harassing activities against media workers after the mass uprising of 24th are a shame for this nation. We strongly protest and condemn it. He also said that the matter will be brought to the attention of the court.”

The lawyers also said that the contribution of journalists as July fighters is great. But today, bureaucrats are stifling the voices of journalists. We have an allegation that the current Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur, Rabiul Faisal, served as the Upazila Executive Officer of Kaharole, Dinajpur from 2013 to 2016. As the then Assistant Returning Officer, he directly assisted the fascist government's candidate, Monoranjanshil Gopal, in winning the 2014 elections. These issues will be brought to the attention of the media soon.

Press Club President Monabbor Hossain, General Secretary Marina Lovely, members of the Press Club and other journalists  were present.