Rapid Action Battalion yesterday picked up a staff reporter of the daily New Age from his Jatrabari residence and allegedly tortured him in public.He was however released around 10:15pm and was taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Rab officials in the afternoon said they were planning to file a case against him on charges of "keeping drug substances".
Locals said a team of Rab-10 picked up FM Masum from his rented house as he had protested "rude" behaviour of some Rab personnel towards the wife of his landlord. The Rab men reportedly went there to arrest the woman.
The battalion personnel allegedly beat Masum up and rubbed salt to the injuries, locals said, adding they took him to the Rab office.
The law enforcers even paid no heed to him even after he had shown his identity card, they said.
New Age informed The Daily Star that the battalion arrested the owner of the house, Salauddin, Wednesday midnight on charges of trading in drug substances.
The Rab officials claimed they had
Masum has run several reports on extra-judicial killings such as the deaths in "crossfire" or "encounter" committed by the battalion and on illicit drug business. He has also written several reports on torture on newsmen across the country.
Meanwhile, talking to The Daily Star, Rab Commanding Officer SM Kamal Hossain earlier admitted that they had picked up Masum from his residence but now they were investigating the matter.