Journalist covering shooting incident attacked by politician's supporters in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Dec 13 (IANS) Amid rising cases of attacks on the press in Bangladesh under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, a journalist was assaulted while covering a story on the shooting of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson of a radical activist platform, Inqilab Mancha.

The incident occurred on Friday afternoon as Risan was collecting information at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) regarding Hadi's shooting, when the student-turned-politician's supporters attacked him, local media reported.

Speaking to a leading Bangladeshi daily, Dhaka Tribune, Risan said that while he was at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, covering the story, several people in front of the emergency department prevented him from recording video.

"When I asked why they were stopping me, they attacked him. I later escaped with my life thanks to the help of another journalist who was nearby," the student journalist was quoted by Dhaka Tribune as saying.

Hadi, a potential independent candidate for Dhaka-8 constituency in the upcoming February elections, was shot in the head in full public view in the capital's Bijoynagar and remains in a critical condition -- on life support -- at the DMCH.

Addressing the media, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali has confirmed that those responsible for shooting Hadi have been identified and can be arrested at any moment.

"The attackers who shot Sharif Osman Hadi have been identified. Police operations are underway, and they may be arrested at any moment," local media quoted the senior police official as saying.

Following the incident, the country's leading Bengali daily Prothom Alo quoted Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Muhammad Talebur Rahman, as saying that the miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at 2:25 pm and fired shots at Hadi, who was riding a rickshaw in the Box Culvert area of Bijoynagar in Dhaka.

Meanwhile, Zahid Raihan, head of the neurosurgery department at DMCH, described Hadi's overall condition as extremely critical.

"He has suffered two cardiac arrests. He has lost a massive amount of blood. After completing the surgery, we must say that we cannot express any optimism about his condition. He remains in the worst possible state... though still alive. From here on, it is in God's hands," Bangladesh's leading newspaper, The Daily Star, quoted Raihan as saying.

"The bullet entered from one side and exited through the other. However, some bullet fragments have remained inside the brain. During the operation, we found and collected a few of those fragments. They were very small," he added.

The attack came just a day after the country's Election Commission announced the poll schedule, stating that the 13th national parliamentary election, along with the July Charter referendum, will be held next year on February 12.

Bangladesh has witnessed an alarming rise in violence and a degrading law and order situation under the Yunus-led interim government.