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September 02, 2025 – Bangladesh –
A Kurigram court has sent former Deputy Commissioner Sultana Parvin to jail after rejecting her bail in a long-running case over the abduction and torture of journalist Ariful Islam Rigan, the Kurigram correspondent for Bangla Tribune and Dhaka Tribune. The decision marks a rare victory for accountability in Bangladesh, where journalists frequently face threats, harassment, and violence in the line of duty.
The case dates back to March 13, 2020, when Rigan was dragged from his home at midnight by local law enforcement and magistrates operating under Parvin’s orders. He was blindfolded, beaten, and humiliated before being sentenced to one year in prison on fabricated charges of possessing alcohol and narcotics. The so-called mobile court operation was widely condemned as an abuse of power, with rights groups calling it a blatant attack on press freedom.
Following nationwide outrage, Rigan was released on bail the next day. He later filed a complaint that led to a Police Bureau of Investigation probe, which charged Parvin along with magistrates Nazim Uddin, Rahatul Islam, and Rintu Bikash Chakma. The court’s latest ruling saw Judge Mosammat Esmat Ara Begum order Parvin’s imprisonment, citing strong evidence of her role in orchestrating the attack.
Speaking after the ruling, Rigan described the verdict as a long-awaited affirmation of justice. “I waited five years for justice. Today’s order proves that no one is above the law,” he said. For press advocates, the jailing of a senior official for torturing a journalist is an important step in challenging impunity, though they stress that continued vigilance is needed to protect reporters in Bangladesh from further abuse.
References –
https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/court/390568/ex-dc-sultana-sent-to-jail-over-torture-of
