Four journalists have been arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of a banker in Lakshmipur

Police arrested four journalists for their alleged involvement in threatening a banker and urging him to commit suicide in Lakshmipur.

Banker Mostafa Tarek Iqbal Robin Patwari (35) died yesterday (October 27) after he jumped from a five-story building under construction in Ramganj upazila parishad of the district.

Sharmin Akter, Tarek’s wife, filed a case in this regard at the Ramganj police station last evening, based on which the arrests were made, confirmed the station’s second officer, Humayun Kabir, this morning (October 28).

Those arrested were Jakir Hossain Mostan of Daily Ittefaq, Belayet Hossain Bacchu of Jayjaydin, Jakir Hossain Sumon of Samakal and Shakhayat Hossain Jahangir of Daily Manobkantha.

The deceased was a junior officer of the Ramganj branch of Palli Sanchay Bank. He hailed from Lakshmipur Sadar area and was the father of two children.

According to residents, Tarek jumped from the roof of a construction site in Ramganj upazila around 3 p.m.

The locals soon took him to the Upazila health resort complex. An upazila health and family planning official said Tarek was brought dead to the hospital.

According to associates and relatives of the deceased, an investigation was underway over the last one year for embezzlement of Tk 1.25 crore from the Ramganj branch of Palli Sanchay Bank.

To gather information in this regard, the accused journalists repeatedly approached the bank manager Rahima Begum but failed to obtain any information.

On Sunday noon, journalists went to the bank again for information. Tarek, who was acting in Rahima’s absence, was asked numerous questions to which he was unable to provide satisfactory answers.

Tarek jumped out of the five-story building shortly after the journalists left, Tarek’s close associates report.

Meanwhile, Tarek’s wife Sharmin and mother Sufia Kamal alleged that Rahim’s bank manager is also involved in Tarek’s death.

The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ramganj Police Station, Md., was contacted. Abu Bashar, who said: “Tarek’s wife has filed a case accusing four journalists of inciting suicide. The body of the deceased was sent to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital mortuary for autopsy. investigation is currently ongoing.”