According to reports published by several newspapers and information independently verified by JMBF, a violent clash took place on 10 September 2026 between two groups over the possession of government-vested property (VP) at Khorddo Bhuban Mouza in Baratoil village under Balubhara Union of Badalgachhi Upazila. Approximately 10–12 people were reportedly injured during the clash. Among the injured was Masud Rana (35), who subsequently died while undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on 15 September 2026.
Following his death, Masud Rana’s younger brother, Rifat Hossain, filed a murder case with Badalgachhi Police Station on the night of 16 September 2026, naming 15 individuals as accused, including journalist and human rights defender Russell Rana as the 15th accused.
JMBF is deeply alarmed by the circumstances surrounding Russell Rana’s inclusion in the case. According to reliable information verified by JMBF, Russell Rana was not present at the scene of the clash, and his residence is approximately 15 kilometres away from the place of occurrence. It has been alleged that he was deliberately implicated in the murder case because of his previous journalistic reporting concerning Al Emran, a leader of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Chairman of Balubhara Union Parishad.
It has also been alleged that ruling-party BNP leader and Chairman Al Emran was behind the inclusion of Russell Rana’s name in the case. Chairman Al Emran, however, denied the allegation and reportedly stated that he did not know who had included whom as an accused.
Of particular concern, the complainant himself, Rifat Hossain, reportedly stated that he does not know journalist and human rights defender Russell Rana. He also stated that he had witnessed four persons assaulting his brother and had identified those individuals. Russell Rana was not among the persons he identified as having assaulted Masud Rana. When questioned about how Russell Rana’s name came to be included in the case, Rifat Hossain reportedly stated that he did not know who had supplied Russell Rana’s name.
The Officer-in-Charge of Badalgachhi Police Station, Muhammad Ruhul Amin, stated that the case remained under investigation and that Russell Rana’s name could be excluded from the charge sheet if the investigation found no evidence of his involvement in the killing.
JMBF considers these circumstances extremely disturbing. The complainant’s reported statement that he does not even know Russell Rana, together with Russell Rana’s assertion that he was not present at the scene, raises fundamental questions about how, and on whose information, his name was inserted into such a serious criminal case.
The use of a fabricated criminal case against a journalist and human rights defender represents a serious threat not only to the individual concerned but also to freedom of expression, freedom of the press, human rights advocacy, due process, and the rule of law.
JMBF strongly condemns the use of fabricated criminal proceedings as a means of intimidating, harassing, silencing, or retaliating against journalists and human rights defenders for carrying out their legitimate professional and human rights activities.
JMBF therefore calls upon the competent authorities to immediately withdraw the fabricated allegations against journalist and human rights defender Russell Rana and remove his name from the murder case, ensure that he is protected from arrest, detention, harassment, intimidation, and retaliation, and establish an independent investigation into how, and at whose instruction, his name was included in the case.
The investigation must also determine whether Russell Rana’s implication was connected to his previous journalistic reporting or human rights activities and whether any public official, politically influential individual, or other person improperly influenced the preparation or filing of the case.
Those responsible for fabricating allegations, supplying false information, falsely implicating Russell Rana, or improperly influencing the criminal proceedings must be identified through an independent investigation and held accountable in accordance with the law and due process.
JMBF simultaneously stresses that the death of Masud Rana must be investigated effectively, impartially, and independently and that all persons against whom credible evidence establishes criminal responsibility should be brought before a competent court in proceedings fully consistent with international fair-trial standards.
We urge you to write to the Honourable Prime Minister of Bangladesh, copying the relevant authorities, and call for the immediate withdrawal of the fabricated allegations against journalist and human rights defender Russell Rana and the removal of his name from the murder case; his protection from arbitrary arrest and harassment; an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his alleged false implication; accountability for those responsible; and effective measures to protect journalists and human rights defenders from retaliatory criminal proceedings.
Your prompt support and solidarity would be greatly appreciated. Please find below the urgent appeal in English.
In solidarity,
EXACT LETTER SENT BY JMBF
Date: 23 September 2026
To:
Subject: Urgent Appeal for the Immediate Withdrawal of the Fabricated Allegations Against Journalist and Human Rights Defender Russell Rana, His Removal from the Murder Case, and an Independent Investigation into His Alleged False Implication
Honourable Prime Minister,
Greetings from JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), an independent, non-profit, non-partisan international human rights organisation based in France.
JMBF writes to express its strongest condemnation and grave concern over the implication of journalist and human rights defender Russell Rana, Naogaon District Correspondent for Times Today and Jatiya Arthaniti, in an allegedly fabricated murder case filed with Badalgachhi Police Station in Naogaon District.
According to reports published by several newspapers and information independently verified by JMBF, a violent clash occurred on 10 September 2026 between two groups over the possession of government-vested property (VP) at Khorddo Bhuban Mouza in Baratoil village under Balubhara Union of Badalgachhi Upazila. Approximately 10–12 people were reportedly injured in the incident.
One of the injured persons, Masud Rana (35), subsequently died while receiving treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on 15 September 2026. Following his death, his younger brother, Rifat Hossain, reportedly filed a murder case with Badalgachhi Police Station on the night of 16 September 2026, naming 15 individuals as accused, including journalist and human rights defender Russell Rana as the 15th accused.
JMBF is seriously concerned by the information that has subsequently emerged regarding the circumstances in which Russell Rana was included in the case. According to reliable information verified by JMBF, Russell Rana was not present at the scene of the clash, and his residence is approximately 15 kilometres away from the place of occurrence.
It has been alleged that his implication in the case was connected to his previous journalistic reporting concerning Al Emran, a leader of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Chairman of Balubhara Union Parishad.
It has further been alleged that Chairman and ruling-party BNP leader Al Emran was behind the inclusion of Russell Rana’s name in the case. However, Chairman Al Emran denied the allegation and reportedly stated that he did not know who had included whom as an accused.
JMBF stresses that the allegation concerning Chairman Al Emran must be independently investigated and that responsibility must be determined on the basis of credible evidence and due process.
Of particular significance, the complainant, Rifat Hossain, reportedly stated that he does not know journalist and human rights defender Russell Rana.
According to the verified information, Rifat Hossain personally witnessed four persons assaulting his brother and identified those individuals. Russell Rana was not identified by the complainant as one of the persons whom he witnessed assaulting Masud Rana.
Even more concerningly, when asked how Russell Rana’s name came to be included in the murder case, the complainant reportedly stated that he did not know who had supplied Russell Rana’s name.
These circumstances raise extremely serious questions regarding the inclusion of Russell Rana in the murder case. If the complainant does not know Russell Rana and did not identify him as one of the persons whom he witnessed attacking his brother, it is imperative to determine precisely who supplied Russell Rana’s name, who decided to include him as an accused, and what evidence—if any—was relied upon to justify his implication in a murder case.
JMBF considers the implication of a journalist and human rights defender in an allegedly fabricated murder case to be an extremely serious attack on freedom of expression, freedom of the press, human rights advocacy, personal liberty, due process, and the rule of law. The criminal justice system must never be used as an instrument for silencing journalists and human rights defenders, punishing critical reporting, suppressing legitimate human rights activities, settling personal or political disputes, or intimidating media professionals and human rights advocates.
Journalists and human rights defenders have a legitimate responsibility to investigate, document, and report on matters of public interest, including the conduct of elected representatives, public officials, and politically influential individuals. Subjecting a journalist and human rights defender to a fabricated murder case because of his professional reporting or human rights activities would have a profound chilling effect extending far beyond the individual concerned. It could discourage other journalists and human rights defenders from investigating and documenting corruption, abuse of power, political influence, human rights violations, and other matters of legitimate public interest.
JMBF therefore strongly condemns the allegedly fabricated allegations against journalist and human rights defender Russell Rana and calls for their immediate withdrawal and the removal of his name from the murder case. JMBF further calls for an independent investigation to determine whether his implication was an act of retaliation for his journalistic work or human rights activities and to identify every individual who participated in fabricating, facilitating, or improperly influencing the criminal proceedings against him.
The authorities should immediately secure and examine all available objective evidence, including CCTV footage, photographs, videos, mobile-phone location information, call records, relevant digital communications, and witness testimony, to establish Russell Rana’s location at the relevant time and determine whether any credible evidence connects him to the incident.
Investigators must also establish who initially supplied Russell Rana’s name for inclusion in the First Information Report or complaint, the factual basis on which the name was supplied, and whether the complainant himself knowingly authorised his inclusion.
If any police officer, public official, politically influential individual, or other person was involved in deliberately inserting the name of an uninvolved journalist and human rights defender into a murder case, such conduct must be independently investigated, and appropriate legal and disciplinary action must be taken in accordance with due process.
JMBF recognises the legitimate right of Masud Rana’s family to justice and to an effective investigation into his death.
The withdrawal of fabricated allegations against an uninvolved person must not obstruct the investigation into Masud Rana’s death. On the contrary, removing persons against whom there is no credible evidence is essential to ensuring that investigators focus on identifying and prosecuting the individuals actually responsible for the violence.
The Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees the protection of the law under Article 31 and the protection of life and personal liberty under Article 32. Constitutional safeguards concerning arrest and detention are contained in Article 33, while Article 39 protects freedom of thought and conscience and freedom of speech, subject to constitutional limitations.
Bangladesh is also a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protects the liberty and security of the person, fair-trial guarantees, and freedom of expression.
The State therefore has an obligation not only to investigate criminal offences effectively but also to protect individuals, including journalists and human rights defenders, against arbitrary arrest, detention, and the retaliatory misuse of criminal proceedings.
In light of the above, JMBF respectfully urges the Government of Bangladesh to:
- Immediately withdraw the fabricated allegations against journalist and human rights defender Russell Rana and remove his name from the murder case where no credible evidence establishes his involvement in the incident;
- Ensure that Russell Rana is not arrested, detained, harassed, intimidated, or otherwise subjected to retaliatory measures in connection with the allegedly fabricated allegations;
- Establish an independent, impartial, prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Russell Rana’s alleged false implication;
- Determine precisely who supplied or proposed Russell Rana’s name for inclusion in the murder case and what evidence, if any, was relied upon when naming him as an accused;
- Investigate the circumstances surrounding complainant Rifat Hossain’s reported statement that he does not know journalist and human rights defender Russell Rana and does not know who supplied his name for inclusion in the case;
- Examine all available objective evidence, including CCTV footage, mobile-phone location information, call records, photographs, videos, digital communications, and witness statements, to establish Russell Rana’s whereabouts and determine whether any credible evidence links him to the incident;
- Independently investigate whether Russell Rana was falsely implicated because of his previous journalistic reporting or human rights activities concerning Balubhara Union Parishad Chairman Al Emran, while ensuring that allegations against any individual are assessed on the basis of credible evidence and due process;
- Investigate whether any public official, police officer, politically influential individual, or other third party participated in, facilitated, or improperly influenced the fabrication of the allegations or the inclusion of Russell Rana as an accused;
- Identify and hold accountable, in accordance with the law and due process, any person found responsible for fabricating evidence, supplying deliberately false information, falsely implicating Russell Rana, or abusing the criminal justice process;
- Ensure the safety and security of Russell Rana and his family and protect them from threats, intimidation, surveillance, harassment, or retaliation arising from his journalistic or human rights activities or his challenge to the allegedly fabricated allegations;
- Ensure that other journalists, human rights defenders, and media professionals reporting on or documenting this case are able to perform their professional activities freely and safely, without intimidation, harassment, or retaliation;
- Ensure an independent, impartial, prompt, and effective investigation into the death of Masud Rana and bring all persons against whom credible evidence establishes criminal responsibility before a competent court in accordance with due process and international fair-trial standards;
- Take effective measures to prevent the filing or use of fabricated criminal cases against journalists, human rights defenders, and other individuals for exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of expression or carrying out their lawful professional activities; and
- Ensure a safe and enabling environment for journalists and human rights defenders throughout Bangladesh so that they can investigate, document, and report on matters of public interest without fear of fabricated criminal cases, arbitrary arrest, harassment, intimidation, or retaliation.
JMBF reiterates that ensuring justice for the death of Masud Rana and protecting an innocent person from fabricated criminal allegations are not contradictory objectives.
JMBF therefore respectfully urges your Government to intervene without delay to ensure the immediate withdrawal of the fabricated allegations against journalist and human rights defender Russell Rana and the removal of his name from the murder case, protect him from arbitrary arrest and harassment, and establish an independent investigation to identify those responsible for allegedly falsely implicating him.
We respectfully request that information concerning any action taken in this matter be forwarded to the JMBF office for our records.
Yours sincerely,
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