'Four people on two motorcyclists started trailing me when I started for my office from my Tongi house at about 3:15pm. As I was approaching the army stadium, they first attacked my car at about 3:45pm - possibly they threw a heavy object which smashed the rear shield of the car,' Abdullah told New Age.
Being scared, he sped along but the assailants chased the car and attacked him for a second time in Kakoli intersection as the car stopped for a traffic signal.The reporter said a man wearing helmet hurled a piece of brick at him which hit him in the back.
'I was so frightened that I left my car there and caught a bus and informed the police about the incident,' Abdullah said.
Abdullah said he thought the reason for the attack could be his report published in Amar Desh on the prime minister's son and the energy adviser.
On December 17, Amar Desh published a news report referring to allegations that Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, received kickbacks from the US power giant Chevron, with the adviser to the prime minister, Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury acting as a go-between.
The report cited allegations that the bribe was given in exchange for allowing Chevron to proceed with the installation of a $52 million compressor station.
The installation of the compressor station was awarded to Chevron without inviting tenders from the competing bidders, the report said.
When contacted, the officer-in-charge of Gulshan police station, Kamal Uddin told New Age that they had recovered the car and brought the car's driver, Muhammad Akkas, to the police station for questioning.
According to the human rights watchdog Odhikar, a total of 230 journalists had come under attack or harassed while discharging their duties after the AL-led government assumed office.
At a discussion meeting held the day after the report was published, Awami League leaders gave angry reaction to the news report.Jahangir Kabir Nanak, state minister for local government and rural development, pointing the finger at Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman, said: 'Do not exceed the limits of our patience. If people get angry, you won't be able to come out in public. Do you want to belittle Sajeeb Wazed Joy and rehabilitate Tarique Rahman? That will never happen.
Meanwhile, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal protested at the attack on the journalist terming it an expression of the AL's old 'fascist attitude.
