4 journalists arrested over alleged abetment to suicide of banker in Lakshmipur
Banker Mostafa Tarek Iqbal Robin Patwari, 35, died after jumping off a five-storey under-construction building of Ramganj upazila parishad in the district yesterday (27 October)
Police have arrested four journalists in a case filed over their alleged involvement in threatening and abetting a banker to commit suicide in Lakshmipur.
Banker Mostafa Tarek Iqbal Robin Patwari, 35, died after jumping off a five-storey under-construction building of Ramganj upazila parishad in the district yesterday (27 October).
Sharmin Akter, wife of Tarek, lodged a case with Ramganj police station in this regard yesterday night, based on which the arrests were made, confirmed Second Officer of the police station Humayun Kabir today morning (28 October).
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The arrestees are - Jakir Hossain Mostan of the Daily Ittefaq, Belayet Hossain Bacchu of Jayjaydin, Jakir Hossain Sumon of Samakal and Shakhayat Hossain Jahangir of the Daily Manobkantha.
The deceased was a junior officer of Palli Sanchay Bank's Ramganj branch. He hailed from lakshmipur Sadar area and was a father of two.
According to locals, Tarek jumped off the Ramganj upazila parishad's under-construction building's rooftop around 3pm.
Locals soon rushed him to the upazila health complex. The upazila Health and Family Planning Officer said Tarek was brought dead to the hospital.
According to colleagues and relatives of the deceased, an investigation was going on over the embezzlement of Tk1.25 crore of Palli Sanchay Bank's Ramganj branch for the past one year.
To gather information on the matter, the accused journalists went to Bank manager Rahima Begum numerous times but failed to get any data.
On Sunday noon, the journalists again went to the bank for information. Tarek, who was in charge in absence of Rahima, was asked numerous questions to which he could not provide satisfactory answers.
Tarek soon jumped off the five-storey building after the journalists left, close associates of Tarek said.
Meanwhile, Tarek's wife Sharmin and mother Sufia Kamal alleged that Bank Manager Rahima is also involved in the death of Tarek.
Contacted, Officer In-Charge (OC) of Ramganj police station Md Abu Bashar said, "Tarek's wife has lodged a case accusing the four journalists of abetting suicide. Body of the deceased has been sent to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy. An investigation is currently undergoing."
