BNP lawmaker Shahidul Alam Talukdar uttered abusive words against journalists and threatened them at a public meeting in Baufal Bandar Bazar under Patuakhali district that was arranged to observe the 27th founding anniversary of BNP on Thursday, our Barisal correspondent reports.

The lawmaker from Baufal called the journalists "son of bitch", "swine" and "bloody", and said he never bothers the newspaper reports and so justified his assaults on the journalists before the state minister for home affairs also.

Earlier, the lawmaker beat up local journalist Manzur Morshed following publishing of a report on looting hilsha fry at Baufal by the BNP cadres on August 9, 2005.

The ruling party lawmaker said he justified before the state minister for home the act of beating Manzur Morshed, who wrote "against BNP".

I beat him and no minister or BNP leader minds it, the lawmaker said.

Number of his votes would decrease if any Alem (religious person) is assaulted, but it will increase if any journalist is assaulted, he said, adding that reports against him in Bangla and English newspapers made him a national and international personality instead of doing any harm to him.

He said in the past he twice assaulted local AL leader ASM Firoz who was elected member of parliament four times that added to his (MP) image with his party's central committee.

Repeating threat to assault journalists if they continue writing against him and his party, the lawmaker said entrance and selling of newspapers in his areas will be restricted if journalists do not carry out his orders.

Meanwhile, five local journalists including assaulted Manzur Morshed lodged a general diary seeking security of life.

Condemning Shahidul Islam Talukdar for his threatening and abusive statements, Barisal Reporters' Unity demanded his punishment.

Shahidul Alam Talukdar MP, who was called by the central BNP on August 10 following the report of journalist assault published in the media, returned to Baufal on Thursday after three weeks to stage a show down of his prowess.

Our Jessore correspondent reports: Ruling BNP lawmaker Shahidul Islam Master of Jhenidah-3 constituency said none of the five cases he lodged against 17 journalists will be withdrawn "till doomsday" as journalists are "threatening".

"Mosaddeq Ali Falus (people like chairman of Amar Desh Publications) will have to appear in the court," the lawmaker said while addressing a public meeting on Maheshpur Pourasava premises yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the journalists of Jhenidah have started boycotting programmes of Shahidul Islam Master as per their decision taken on Friday.

They boycotted a meeting of the State Minister for Agriculture Fakrul Islam Alamgir where Shahidul Islam was special guest.

Shahidul Islam, however, did not attend the meeting.

Jessore journalists submitted a memorandum to the prime minister through the deputy commissioner of Jessore on Saturday demanding immediate withdrawal of cases filed by the BNP lawmaker.

Noapara Press Club and Keshabpur Press Club in Jessore and Kaliganj Press Club of Jhenidah condemned the filing of cases by Shahidul Islam MP.