Journalist Faridul Mostafa Khan was allegedly subjected to inhumane torture by former Teknaf Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Pradeep Kumar Das, who was later sentenced to death in the Major Sinha murder case.
Faridul Mostafa Khan, editor and publisher of the daily Cox’s Bazar Bani, reported on an alleged drug syndicate involving former Teknaf MP Abdur Rahman Bodi and OC Pradeep. After publishing a report titled “Teknaf OC Gives Crossfire If Money Is Not Paid”, he became the target of personal retaliation. OC Pradeep subsequently filed six allegedly false cases against him.
Earlier, Faridul Mostafa Khan was picked up from Dhaka without a warrant and allegedly subjected to brutal torture by OC Pradeep, who also attempted to stage a crossfire to kill him.
Faridul spent 11 months and 5 days in prison in what he claims were fabricated cases before securing bail. Since then, he has repeatedly appealed to the concerned authorities for withdrawal of the cases.
Local journalists have organized several human chains, submitted memorandums, and carried out various protest programs demanding justice. Due to the legal expenses of fighting these cases, Faridul has reportedly become financially destitute. His family is living under severe insecurity and inhumane conditions. Despite repeated appeals, the administration has not taken any steps to resolve the cases, ensure his security, or release his withheld passport. His family and local journalists have expressed strong dissatisfaction over the matter and demanded immediate withdrawal of the cases.
According to sources, after being released on bail nearly seven years ago, Faridul’s family submitted petitions to the then Prime Minister, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Law, Police Headquarters, as well as the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP). However, the matter has remained unresolved for unknown reasons.
Following the fall of the Awami League government, Faridul Mostafa Khan again applied through the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner to the Chief Adviser, the President, the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Law, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and district authorities seeking intervention to withdraw the cases. However, he has received no assistance.
After the formation of the new government, on March 9, 2026, Faridul submitted another written application through the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner to the Honorable Prime Minister, the Home Minister, the Law Minister, and the district administration, detailing the injustices he faced and requesting the withdrawal of all false cases.
Faridul says he is now living an extremely difficult life.
“I can no longer bear the burden of these cases. My financial condition is deteriorating day by day,” he said.
Faridul stated that in 2019 he published several investigative reports in his newspaper under the headline “Teknaf OC Gives Crossfire If Money Is Not Paid.” Because of protesting police wrongdoing, he allegedly fell into conflict with the then Cox’s Bazar Superintendent of Police ABM Masud Hossain and OC Pradeep.
He claims that in 2019 OC Pradeep brought him from Dhaka without a warrant, tortured him for several days, and then sent him to court by filing six fabricated cases involving weapons, drugs, and extortion. After spending 11 months and 5 days in jail, he was released on bail.
During that time, he met the then Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and sought protection for his life. Although he filed an application in court to discharge the cases, charges were framed against him under mysterious circumstances.
Former Cox’s Bazar District and Sessions Judge Md. Ismail also mentioned the alleged oppression faced by Faridul during his farewell speech, expressing sympathy and concern over the matter.
Faridul further stated that the criminal case he filed against Pradeep and his associates after his release on bail has still not been recorded by the court. Despite court orders, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has not submitted its investigation report for the last five years. The investigating officer repeatedly sought time extensions, delaying the process.
His lawyers applied for a judicial inquiry into the matter, but it has not been implemented. In addition, a writ petition filed by Faridul’s wife in the High Court seeking withdrawal of the false cases, review of police records, correction of CDMS data, and ensuring Faridul’s safety has remained unresolved for six years.
The writ petition remains pending under a rule asking why Faridul should not be provided security, with the Home Secretary, Cox’s Bazar DC, SP, and others named as respondents.
Furthermore, although the High Court instructed the PBI to submit a report within four weeks, the agency has not submitted any report for six years under unexplained circumstances.
After being released on bail, Faridul applied to renew his previously issued digital passport after it expired. However, the passport office reportedly suspended the renewal citing a lack of police clearance.
Faridul’s family and the local journalist community have demanded a proper investigation into the allegedly fabricated cases and their immediate withdrawal.
