Jamal Uddin, Cox's Bazar District Correspondent
Dhaka, Thursday, May 15, 2025 AD: The six false and conspiratorial cases filed against Cox's Bazar journalist Faridul Mustafa Khan, who was subjected to inhuman torture by the accused murderer OC Pradeep Kumar Das, who was sentenced to death in the Major Sinha murder case, have not yet been withdrawn. As a result, journalist Farid Mustafa is living an insecure and inhumane life with his family.
The Bangladesh Mofusal Journalists Forum has demanded the immediate withdrawal of all the cases filed against journalist Farid Mustafa. In a statement sent to the media on Thursday, May 15, Ahmed Abu Zafar, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the organization, said that the cases can be withdrawn only if the state law and judiciary are sincere. At the same time, the court can also order a case against a journalist by lying and conspiring and bearing medical expenses. We hope that the government will withdraw the cases soon.
After his release on bail 5 years ago, and before that, the family had filed applications with various relevant circles including the former Prime Minister, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Law, the Police Headquarters, the DC, the SP, but for some mysterious reason, it is pending, the case has not been withdrawn. Faridul Mustafa has nothing at the moment except the received copy of the application and sighs.
Farid Mustafa says that OC Pradeep's death sentence is a landmark verdict. However, he cannot bear the burden of Pradeep's case anymore. I have become completely helpless due to financial difficulties in pursuing the case and treatment. I want salvation, I want all the journalist friends of the country to stand by me to rescue me.
According to sources, in 2019, he came under the wrath of the then former Cox's Bazar Police Superintendent ABM Masud Hossain Syndicate for publishing several news stories in the name of extrajudicial killings, drug lord Abdur Rahman Bodi, former Teknaf MP Ukhia, and his cherished drug bribe syndicate's drug eradication under the title "Teknaf OC Pradeep gives crossfire if not paid". As a result, Faridul met former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at that time to get rid of the false case and applied for life security and relief from the false case.
But unfortunately, Faridul Mostafa was far from being free from the oppression, torture, and harassment. OC Pradeep's Teknaf police station picked him up from Dhaka without a case and detained him for a few days in 2019, subjected him to demonic torture, and produced him in court with 6 fabricated cases of weapons, drugs, and extortion.
However, surprisingly, at that time, no media dared to publish the news of the inhuman torture and harassment and arrest of Farid Mustafa due to fear of OC Pradeep. After 10 and a half months of the imprisonment incident, the matter came to the attention of the Bangladesh Mofusal Journalists Forum. At that time, a team of 7 journalists from Dhaka went to Cox's Bazar from the organization, informing the Ministry of Home Affairs. There, the leaders of the organization held a meeting with the participation of the Deputy Commissioner, the Superintendent of Police, as well as the members of the organization's Legal Advisory Council and branch committee, and started a legal fight.
He was released on bail after serving 11 months and 5 days in prison in a legal fight on behalf of the central committee of the Bangladesh Mofusal Journalists Forum. After he was released from prison in an ill condition, the BMSF provided him with one lakh taka medical assistance for his treatment.
Meanwhile, when Farid Mustafa filed a case against OC Pradeep, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) did not submit the investigation report for the last 5 years.
