Female journalists were physically attacked by the Islamists in Bangladesh. Nadia Sharmin, a TV journalist is admitted to hospital.
The Hifazat-e Islam not only barred women from entering its rally in the capital on Saturday, but also harassed physically and mentally several female journalists performing their professional duties there.
Activists of the Chittagong-based radical Islamist group assaulted Ekushey Television Reporter Nadia Sharmin at Bijoynagar and interrupted Financial Express Reporter Arafat Ara at Paltan when she was going to office.
On Friday, Mohona TV Chief Reporter Sumi Khan faced obstruction from the Hifazat activists in Chittagong.
Female journalists were not alone to face the Hifazat harassment, even the women garbage collectors were driven out from the rally area.
Leaders of the group demanded imposition of restrictions on open movement of male and female together, from the rally organised in Motijheel to press for their demands, including action against ‘atheists’.
Nadia Sharmin told bdnews24.com that she was attacked around 3pm when she went to cover the rally.
“Some Hifazat activists came to me and told me that admission of women to the rally is not allowed. They said, ‘You resort to falsehood. You’re the agents of Ganajagaran Mancha.’ At one point of the conversation they assaulted me. I took shelter in a car nearby and then they even tried to vandalise the car,” she said.
Later, several journalists tried to take Nadia to Bijoynagar where she was attacked again.
“Fifty-sixty activists hurled brickbats and water bottles at me at Bijoynagar. They snatched my mobile phone and handbag having several thousand takas. Then they threw me on the ground and beat me up,” she said.
Injured in the head, left side of the neck and leg, Nadia was sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.
She said she was attacked only for being a woman.
I am not surprised that women are attacked by the Islamists. They hate women, because their god and prophet hate women.