According to a report published by Dhaka Tribune on 8 August 2026, the incident allegedly occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. on 4 August 2026, while Bulbul Hossain was travelling to cover a clash between Islami Chhatra Shibir and BNP activists.
Bulbul reportedly witnessed several police officers assaulting a woman who had approached a police van near the Bijoy Sarani intersection. In the course of performing his professional duties as a journalist, he began recording the incident. The police officers allegedly ordered him to delete the footage.
After Bulbul identified himself as a journalist and refused to delete the recording, the officers allegedly forcibly took him into the police van and physically assaulted him. He subsequently received medical treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
JMBF considers these allegations extremely serious. Any assault on a journalist for documenting the conduct of law-enforcement officials represents a direct threat to freedom of the press, freedom of expression, accountability of law-enforcement agencies, and the public's right to information. The reported assault on the unidentified woman must also be independently investigated.
The incident raises serious concerns under the Constitution of Bangladesh and Bangladesh's international human rights obligations, including protections against cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and guarantees relating to freedom of expression and media freedom.
JMBF therefore seeks your urgent intervention, including appropriate communication with the relevant authorities, to ensure a prompt, impartial, and independent investigation; accountability for those responsible; protection for the journalist and the woman reportedly assaulted; and effective safeguards against intimidation or retaliation.
JMBF believes that your prompt attention and decisive action will play an important role in ensuring accountability and protecting journalists and members of the public from abuse by law-enforcement officials.
JMBF kindly requests that a copy of any action taken in response to this appeal be shared with our office.
Thank you.
X: JusticeMakersBF | LinkedIn: jmbf23
SAMPLE LETTER
Subject: Urgent Appeal for Prompt Action Over Alleged Police Assault on Journalist Bulbul Hossain After Filming Police Beating a Woman in Dhaka
Dear Prime Minister,
Greetings from JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF).
JMBF, a France-based international human rights organisation founded on the principles of the United Nations Bill of Rights, has been working consistently to promote and protect human rights in Bangladesh and beyond.
According to a report published by Dhaka Tribune on 8 August 2026, Bulbul Hossain, a multimedia reporter for Global Television, was allegedly assaulted by police officers inside a police van after recording officers reportedly beating a woman near the Bijoy Sarani intersection in Dhaka.
The incident reportedly occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. on 4 August 2026, while Bulbul was travelling to cover a clash between Islami Chhatra Shibir and BNP activists.
According to the report, a police van had become stuck in traffic near the Bijoy Sarani intersection, where several motorcycles were obstructing its path. Police officers reportedly became involved in arguments with some motorcyclists. When a woman subsequently approached the police van, several officers allegedly assaulted her.
Bulbul began recording the incident in the course of performing his professional duties as a journalist. The police officers allegedly ordered him to delete the footage.
After identifying himself as a journalist and refusing to delete the recording, Bulbul was allegedly forcibly taken into the police van and physically assaulted by the officers.
He was subsequently taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for medical treatment and later submitted a written complaint to the Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), seeking legal and departmental action against the officers responsible.
JMBF is deeply concerned that a journalist was allegedly subjected to violence specifically because he attempted to document possible misconduct by law-enforcement officials. Such conduct, if established through an independent investigation, would constitute a serious abuse of police authority and an attack on press freedom, freedom of expression, human dignity, and the rule of law.
JMBF is equally concerned about the allegation that police officers assaulted the unidentified woman whose treatment Bulbul was attempting to document. Her identity should be established, her safety and well-being ensured, and the allegations concerning her treatment independently investigated.
Journalists must be able to document matters of legitimate public interest, including the activities and conduct of law-enforcement agencies, without intimidation, violence, arbitrary interference, or retaliation.
In this context, JMBF respectfully urges you to:
Ensure a prompt, impartial, transparent, and independent investigation into the alleged assault on journalist Bulbul Hossain and the woman reportedly assaulted by police near Bijoy Sarani on 4 August 2026;
Identify all police officers involved through available CCTV footage, video recordings, police deployment records, vehicle records, eyewitness testimony, and other relevant evidence;
Initiate appropriate criminal proceedings and departmental action against any police personnel found responsible, in accordance with the laws of Bangladesh and applicable international human rights standards;
Ensure the preservation of all relevant evidence, including CCTV footage, police vehicle records, duty rosters, and any video footage connected with the incident;
Ensure the safety and protection of Bulbul Hossain, the woman reportedly assaulted, witnesses, and any other persons cooperating with the investigation, and guarantee that they will not face intimidation, harassment, threats, or retaliation;
Ensure appropriate medical and psychological support for the victims, where required, and provide access to effective remedies, including appropriate compensation, in accordance with the law;
Ensure that journalists can carry out their professional duties freely and safely, including documenting law-enforcement activities in matters of legitimate public interest, without unlawful obstruction, intimidation, harassment, or violence; and
Strengthen institutional accountability, training, and monitoring mechanisms within the police to prevent violence against journalists and members of the public and to ensure respect for human rights, press freedom, and the rule of law.
The alleged assault on Bulbul Hossain is particularly troubling because the reported violence appears to have followed his attempt to document alleged police misconduct. Any attempt to suppress journalistic evidence through violence, intimidation, or coercion undermines both press freedom and public accountability.
JMBF therefore respectfully calls upon the Government of Bangladesh and the relevant law-enforcement authorities to ensure that Bulbul Hossain's complaint is investigated promptly, independently, impartially, and transparently, and that all officers found responsible are held accountable in accordance with the law.
JMBF firmly believes that your swift and effective intervention will contribute to ensuring justice for the victims, strengthening public confidence in law-enforcement institutions, safeguarding freedom of the press, and upholding human rights and the rule of law in Bangladesh.
JMBF kindly requests that a copy of any action taken concerning this matter be shared with our office.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely,
X: JusticeMakersBF | LinkedIn: jmbf23
Copied for Kind Information and Necessary Action to:
Source
Dhaka Tribune, “Journalist allegedly assaulted in police van for filming police beating woman,” published 8 August 2026:
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