Kalapara (Patuakhali) Correspondent

Mohipur police have arrested two accused in a case filed against Dainik Desh Panthwaran's Kuakata correspondent KM Bachchu in Kuakata, Patuakhali.

They were arrested in a raid in Kuakata area on Monday night. The arrested are Shahid Sikder (alias Pocha Shahid), deputy general secretary of the municipal youth party, and Nasir Howlader, vice-president of Ward No. 8 workers' party. They were handed over to the Kalapara Senior Judicial Magistrate Court on Tuesday.

Earlier, on July 24, at around 11 pm, a terrorist attack took place on journalist KM Bachchu in the area adjacent to Hotel Saikat on Kuakata Marine Drive Road. He suffered serious injuries to his head and both legs in the attack. Locals rescued him and first admitted him to Kuakata 20-bed hospital. Later, he was sent to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. After undergoing treatment there for three days, he was transferred to Dhaka for further advanced treatment.

It is learned that journalist KM Bachchu published a story against a young man named Bayezid Sikder on February 24 of this year, alleging that he forcibly took a young woman to a hotel room in Kuakata and attempted to molest her. His family has alleged that the attack was a result of that incident.

The injured journalist's family alleged that Kuakata Municipal Chhatra Dal Ward No. 8 President Bayezid Sikder Rana, Municipal Jubo Dal Deputy General Secretary Shahid Sikder, Ward No. 8 Jubo Dal President Shahid Sikder, Municipal Jubo Dal Religious Affairs Secretary Harun Musalli and four to five others participated in the attack. KM Bachchu was alone at the time of the attack. The accused hit him with a hammer indiscriminately, seriously injuring him.

Kuakata Municipal Youth League President Syed Md. Faruk said, "We have informed the central committee about the matter. Currently, as there is no district committee, it is not possible for us to take organizational measures."

Kuakata Municipal BNP General Secretary Matiur Rahman Howlader said, "There is no place for terrorists in the party. The incident is very sad. Organizational action will be taken against the accused."

Mahipur Police Station OC Shamim Hawlader said that immediately after the case was filed, the police conducted a drive and arrested two accused. Efforts are ongoing to arrest the other accused.