Bangladesh journalist hacked at Munshiganj shrine; BNP leader detained
Synopsis
A Prothom Alo photographer and shrine president was hacked with a machete at Bangladesh's Lalon shrine in Munshiganj, allegedly by a local BNP leader's group over a land dispute. The attack lands as the CPJ presses PM Tarique Rahman to deliver on press-freedom promises 100 days into his term.
Key Takeaways
Kabir Hossain , a Prothom Alo photographer and president of the Lalon shrine in Munshiganj, was critically injured in a machete attack on 3 June .
Police have detained Jahangir Madbar , a local BNP ward president, over alleged involvement; a land dispute is cited as the trigger.
Kabir's brother Takbir Baul was also injured; both were shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital .
The victim alleges he had been receiving threats for six months aimed at removing him from the shrine.
The CPJ has urged PM Tarique Rahman to end ‘partisan persecution of journalists' as his government completes 100 days in office.
A journalist and shrine president was critically injured after being attacked with sharp weapons at the Lalon shrine, locally known as Padmahem Dham, in Dosharpara village of Sirajdikhan upazila in Bangladesh's Munshiganj district on Tuesday afternoon, according to local reports. Police have detained a local Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader over alleged involvement, even as concerns mount over the safety of media professionals in the country.
What happened at the shrine
The victim, Kabir Hossain, served as president of the shrine and worked as a photographer for the Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo. According to witnesses cited by the Dhaka Tribune, a group allegedly led by Jahangir Madbar, the BNP ward president in Latabdi Union, stormed the shrine premises and attacked Kabir with sharp weapons. His brother, Takbir Baul, was also injured in the assault.
Locals and devotees rushed the injured first to the Sirajdikhan Upazila Health Complex, before they were shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.
What the police said
Sirajdikhan Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Abdul Hannan said Kabir and Jahangir had been locked in a long-standing dispute over land linked to the shrine. ‘An argument over the issue escalated, and Kabir Hossain was attacked. Police later detained Jahangir Madbar after conducting a drive. Efforts are underway to arrest others involved,' the officer said.
Victim alleges months of threats
Speaking from his hospital bed, Kabir alleged he had been receiving threats for the past six months aimed at forcing him out of the shrine. ‘Today, Jahangir, the BNP ward president, came to the shrine with several people and attacked us. I suffered serious head injuries after being struck with a machete,' he was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune.
Wider pattern of press attacks
Bangladesh has reportedly witnessed a sustained escalation in attacks on journalists, a trend that gathered pace during the 18-month tenure of the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim government and has continued under the current BNP administration.
On Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to begin delivering on his electoral promise to protect media freedom, calling for an end to ‘partisan persecution of journalists' as his government completed its first 100 days in office. The CPJ asked the government to affirm that ‘independent journalism is a constitutional right and a democratic necessity' and to ensure accountability for those inciting violence against the press through vilification.
What's next
Police said efforts are underway to arrest the other accused in the attack. The incident is likely to renew scrutiny of the Tarique Rahman government's handling of press safety, particularly in rural districts where local political muscle and land disputes increasingly intersect with attacks on reporters.
Point of View
Just 100 days into Tarique Rahman's term, directly tests his electoral promise on media freedom. The CPJ's intervention on the same day is not coincidence; it signals that international scrutiny is shifting from the Yunus-era backlog to the new government's own record. Without visible prosecution beyond the initial detention, the ‘partisan persecution' charge will harden.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Lalon shrine in Munshiganj?
Journalist and shrine president Kabir Hossain was critically injured after being attacked with sharp weapons, including a machete, at the Lalon shrine in Sirajdikhan upazila on Tuesday. His brother Takbir Baul was also injured; both are being treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Who has been detained for the attack?
Police have detained Jahangir Madbar, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ward president in Latabdi Union, over alleged involvement in the assault. Officers said efforts are underway to arrest others accused in the attack.
Why was the journalist attacked?
According to Sirajdikhan Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Abdul Hannan, Kabir and Jahangir had a long-standing dispute over land linked to the shrine that escalated into the attack. Kabir has alleged that he had been receiving threats for six months aimed at removing him from the shrine.
How is press freedom in Bangladesh being viewed currently?
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to deliver on his promise to protect media freedom, citing ‘partisan persecution of journalists' as his government completes 100 days in office. Reports indicate attacks on journalists escalated during the previous Muhammad Yunus-led interim government and have continued under the BNP administration.
