Top extortionist Abul Hashim, photo-collected.
Jamal Ahmad, Staff Reporter Sylhet //

.Follow up. When a news was published in The Daily Morning Sun newspaper (October 17) with the charge of extortion against Sylhet District Youth Dal leader Abul Hasim, the syndicate circle finally shook. All those involved in the incident held a press conference at the Jaintapur Press Club on Thursday (October 18) to defend themselves by staging a Judge Mia play to take the incident in a different direction. They did not hesitate to speak against independent journalism. Questions about mainstream journalism have also been raised around this press conference.

One of those who organized this press conference is Abul Hasim, the joint convener of the district youth party. Meanwhile, the audio-video footage of their collection of subscription has gone viral on social media Facebook. According to that information, a person named Amir Uddin himself has given a confessional statement that he is collecting subscriptions. There he mentioned about giving subscription during his speech. In addition, Abul Hasim and other associates can be heard to be mentioned in his mouth. Even after giving the opportunity to defend themselves during the publication of the news, in order to cover up their misdeeds, they appeared at the Jaintapur Press Club on Thursday and tried to pass the Judge Mia drama. Nat’s guru Amir Uddin, apart from this video footage message, when the reporter asked him to self-support on the phone, he made the matter more open and said that this money is being stolen by breaking the names of 14-15 BNP leaders at the upazila level. Earlier Kamal used to collect that money. He also stole money by breaking the names of the activists. So the question remains, if there is a work permit, then why was the subscription collected using the name of the party? Again, that subscription is in the name of unnamed activists of Upazila BNP. When Abul Hasim was given an opportunity to defend himself, he avoided the issue of extortion.

In another audio message, Abul Hasim can be heard saying that the OC of Jaintapur Model Police Station and the BGB are also about the subscription issue. It clearly symbolizes “Dal Mein Kuch Kalahe”. Despite all this, the syndicate gang simultaneously appeared in a press conference and publicly threatened to sue the journalists, protesting and denouncing the published news, claiming their innocence. To say this is a threat to the entire media. But the mysterious fact is that after the news of extortion was published, they still did not express any protest or condemnation in The Daily Morning Sun newspaper. They presented their true character in front of the nation by presenting fabricated and motivated speeches in the press conference.

Meanwhile, another CCTV video footage reached the hands of the Daily Morning Sun newspaper reporter on Thursday, showing how Abul Hasim and his accomplices are collecting extortion. Along with another audio recording, there is sensational information about subscription sharing. There are names of several people including a chairman in that record. Even the issue of giving and receiving subscriptions to journalists is being said in front of that chairman. If you go out there alone, you can hear about giving a portion. It is also being commented that the publication of news cannot be stopped if not given. BGB line was also discussed. The issue of who will raise money and how also comes up in their conversation. Hearing that statement, the body will be shocked. But that extortionist syndicate circle is indulging in a great effort to keep themselves in the limelight by holding a press conference at the Jaintapur Press Club. On the contrary, the alleged group started spreading propaganda in the name of prominent senior journalists Arun Sarkar and Jamal Ahmed. And some dishonest extortionist yellow journalists are supporting them. Not only that, none of the journalists in the press conference felt the need to make a statement to those whose names they are trying to include in the press conference. In this, the mainstream of the mass media has been violated. After the country gained independence for the second time in the anti-discrimination student movement, the interim Yunus government came to power and announced the solidarity of journalists in publishing news independently against irregularities and corruption, but some unscrupulous groups have risen up to achieve their own interests.

Meanwhile, when the country’s law-enforcement forces and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and other political parties are committed to eliminate corruption and irregularities from the country, some extortionist syndicates are continuing these crimes in name and anonymity. Now the question has arisen in the public mind, will the extortionist gangs get away with breaking the name of the party? Although the central leaders and activists of various political parties, including BNP, have a strong message, some groups are not giving up on corruption.

When Jaintapur Press Club president Nurul Islam was contacted on the phone about the press conference of the extortion gang, he said that he was not there during the press conference. When it comes to defending himself, he could not give any evidence. Next news coming…