Own Correspondent: On Thursday, October 2, in the afternoon, at Elahabad village of Debidwar Upazila, Cumilla, a heinous and pre-planned terrorist attack was carried out on eight journalists while they were covering a local arbitration meeting.

Following this disgraceful incident, Bangladesh Central Press Club (B.C.P.C), a long-standing organization committed to protecting the rights of oppressed and persecuted journalists, has expressed deep concern along with strong condemnation and outrage.

The attackers mercilessly assaulted the journalists and snatched their mobile phones, cameras, and cash. Several journalists were seriously injured and are currently undergoing treatment at Debidwar Upazila Health Complex. In addition, the parents and younger sister of journalist Sohrab Hossain were also injured.

The injured journalists are: Parvez Sarkar of Daily Dinkal, Nesar Uddin of Asian TV, Sohrab Hossain of Daily Ajker Cumilla, Md. Anwar Hossain of Daily Dak Protidin, Abu Bakkar Siddiq of Daily Amar Desh, Zahirul Islam Maruf of Daily Kalbela, Md. Shahjalal of Daily Bhorer Darpan, and Saiful Islam Sojib of ATN (MCL) News.
According to local sources, the attack was carried out in a planned manner, stemming from a long-standing family conflict related to the arbitration.

On Friday, October 3, 2025, in an official press statement, Bangladesh Central Press Club (B.C.P.C) declared that this barbaric attack on journalists is not only an assault on press freedom but also a direct blow to the people’s right to information and to the democratic values of the country. Journalists are the voice of the people and the conscience of the nation. An attack on them is a vile attempt to suppress the truth and to push the public into darkness.

Founder President of Bangladesh Central Press Club (B.C.P.C), Khan Selim Rahman, said:
“Journalists are the conscience of the nation and the voice of the people. They present the truth, the problems, the sufferings, and the realities of society before the public. An attack on them is not only an attack on a single journalist but on the entire nation. It is a direct assault on democracy and freedom of the press. We call upon the state and administration to take urgent measures so that those responsible for such heinous attacks are arrested quickly and given exemplary punishment. If journalists remain safe, the nation’s right to know the truth will be protected and the people’s trust in truth will remain unshaken. We demand strong and immediate action from the state and administration to prevent a recurrence of such barbaric attacks.”

Founder General Secretary of Bangladesh Central Press Club (B.C.P.C), Md. Mahidul Hasan Sarkar, said:
“We are deeply outraged, shocked, and furious over this attack. Such terrorist acts against journalists can never be tolerated. This is not just an attack on a single journalist but a direct assault on press freedom, on people’s right to information, and on the democratic values of the country. When journalists shed blood while gathering information for the people, it is a disgrace to the entire nation.

Ensuring the safety of journalists is a constitutional responsibility of the state and a moral duty of the administration. We strongly urge the immediate arrest of all those involved in this attack and demand that exemplary punishment be ensured. In addition, strict measures must be taken to guarantee the safety of journalists, ensure a free media environment, and protect their ability to perform their professional duties. We clearly state that Bangladesh Central Press Club will never bow down to oppression or persecution of journalists. Our firm commitment is to always remain at the forefront of protecting the safety, dignity, and rights of journalists.”

Bangladesh Central Press Club (B.C.P.C) strongly demands from the state and administration that:

1. All perpetrators involved in the attack must be arrested immediately.
2. Maximum punishment must be ensured through speedy trial tribunals.
3. Journalists’ safety must be guaranteed and a free media environment preserved.

Bangladesh Central Press Club (B.C.P.C) urges the intervention of the state and administration to prevent the recurrence of such attacks and to ensure that journalists can carry out their professional duties safely. Since its inception, Bangladesh Central Press Club (B.C.P.C) has been standing by oppressed and persecuted journalists, relentlessly working to protect their rights, and will continue this commitment in the future.