At approximately 8 p.m. yesterday (Thursday), in the crowded Chandana Chourasta area of Gāzipur, reporter Asaduzzaman Tuhin—staff correspondent for Dainik Protidin—was tracked and brutally hacked to death by assailants in a calculated public attack. The killing occurred shortly after Tuhin filmed a violent “honey-trap” ambush on a man named Badsha Mia—an act that police say led directly to his murder.
Shahin Khan, acting officer-in-charge of Bason Police Station, confirmed that five suspects have been detained but said their identities could not be disclosed due to the sensitivity of the investigation. CCTV footage captured armed men at the scene, but the suspects in custody were not among them.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Crime Response) Rabiul Islam said CCTV confirmed that Tuhin was pursued and killed for filming the attack after refusing to delete the video. “Police believe it began as a planned honey-trap against Badsha Mia, not extortion,” he said, stressing the premeditated nature of the assault.
According to colleagues present that evening, Tuhin and fellow reporter Shāmim Hossain were walking near Shapla Mansion when they witnessed a commotion: a woman escorting Badsha Mia while armed men attacked him. As Tuhin began filming on his mobile phone, the attackers shifted their focus to him, chasing him into a tea stall where he sought refuge—only to be cornered and killed.
Hossain, visibly shaken, recalled, “They were shouting, ‘We’ve got him!’ The man ran; Tuhin chased them with his phone. Then, without warning, they burst into the tea stall and executed him.”
CCTV reportedly shows the assailants entering the shop and striking Tuhin repeatedly with machetes. Police found his mutilated body inside.
Khairul Alam Rofiq, editor of Dainik Protidin, expressed outrage: “It is deeply distressing that such blatant murders continue with impunity.”
A Tangible Threat to Press Freedom
The killing came just a day after another violent assault on journalist Anwar Hossain, who was beaten so severely—without any apparent intervention—that he was critically injured. Both attacks, captured on video, have since gone viral, fueling outrage among journalists.
The Gāzipur Press Club has been the scene of protests, with journalists and civil society groups demanding swift justice and stronger security measures for media workers.
“The brazenness of these assaults signals dangerous impunity and political apathy,” said a representative from Reporters Without Borders, noting that harassment, legal intimidation, and violence form a “hostile ecosystem” for journalists in Bangladesh.
International watchdogs have long warned that reporters in the country operate under constant threat, often targeted for exposing corruption, organized crime, and abuse of power. The brutal nature of Tuhin’s murder—lured by a honey-trap and silenced in a public bloodbath—shows the extremes to which criminal networks will go to avoid exposure.
Legal analysts say impunity persists in Bangladesh because perpetrators often evade accountability due to weak investigations, political interference, and deliberate obfuscation. Even in high-profile cases, convictions are rare, reinforcing a climate of fear.
Investigation and Next Steps
Police are intensifying efforts to apprehend a key female suspect known as “Golapi,” believed to have lured Badsha Mia into the ambush, along with others identified on CCTV: Ketu Mizan, Shah Jamal, Bullet, and Sujon. Authorities say they hope the arrests will shed light on the motive and the criminal network behind the attack.
Tuhin’s family and colleagues have demanded a transparent investigation. His brother, Mohammad Selim, said: “He was butchered in public. I demand a just and open process.”
The delay in apprehending suspects—combined with the back-to-back attacks on journalists—has heightened concern over systemic failures in protecting press freedom.
The murder of Asaduzzaman Tuhin is a stark reminder of the fragility of independent journalism in Bangladesh. It underscores the urgent need for stronger protections, independent investigations, and international solidarity for journalists at risk. Without decisive action, the culture of fear and silence will only deepen.
