Two days after the midnight trial of a journalist, the public administration ministry removed yesterday Kurigram deputy commissioner (DC) Sultana Pervin, senior assistant commissioner and executive magistrate Nazim Uddin, and executive magistrates Rintu Bikash Chakma and SM Rahatul Islam.

A gazette notification issued by the public administration ministry said that the four officials had been attached to the ministry On Sunday, state minister of public administration Farhad Hossain informed reporters that DC Sultana involvement in torturing journalist Ariful Islam Rigan on Monday. They are - Senior Assistant Commissioner Nazim Uddin, Assistant Commissioner Rintu Bikash Chakma and Assistant Commissioner SM Rahatul Islam.

Ariful Islam, district correspondent of online news portal Bangla Tribune, was jailed for one year and fined Tk 50,000 for ‘possessing narcotics’ by a mobile court at the dead of night.

The local administration claimed that Ariful was arrested with 450ml local liquor and 100g hemp. But Ariful’s wife Mostarima Sardar Nitu claimed that a group of law enforcers entered their home at Charuapara around Friday midnight and took away her husband forcefully without showing any reason.  

Out on bail on Sunday, Ariful said he was tortured by the magistrates.