Two BNP leaders have been arrested in Natore for allegedly assaulting a journalist and college lecturer, Sajedul Islam Selim.

The arrestees are Abdur Rouf Wahab, the prime accused, and Akkas Ali, a former BNP ward unit president from Natore Sadar upazila.

Joint forces apprehended the two in the Chandrakala area of Natore Sadar on Sunday night after Selim filed an attempted murder case against seven named and 10-15 unnamed individuals, said Mahbub Rahman, officer-in-charge of Natore Sadar Police Station.

"We will produce them before a court today," the OC said, adding that efforts are ongoing to capture other suspects.

Selim, a senior lecturer at Bangabandhu Shaikh Mujib College and editor-publisher of the local daily Prantojon, said he was attacked around 12:30 pm.

"I wasn't feeling well and left college early. At Chandrakala Bazar, 8–10 men led by Wahab stopped me, took me to a tea shop, confirmed my identity, and then snatched my phone and money. They began beating me with cricket stumps and bamboo sticks," he said.

Dr Palash Kumar Saha of Natore Sadar Hospital said Selim sustained fractures in both hands and injuries to other parts of his body.

Selim alleged the attack was politically motivated. "As a teacher representative on the college managing committee, I opposed interference by BNP men. I believe the attackers were linked to Natore district BNP convener Rahim Newaj, who wants to replace the principal," he said.

Denying involvement, Newaj said, "I condemn the attack. The principal of the college where Selim teaches is the daughter of an ex-Awami League minister. She was appointed illegally. Locals reported her corruption to me, but I don't know who attacked Selim."

Meanwhile, the Detective Branch arrested six members of a gang in connection with the assault on three journalists, said OC Iqbal Bahar of the Bogura DB.

The arrestees are Md Rakibul Islam Rakib, 22, Md Habibur Rahman Riki, 25, Md Tarikul Islam, 22, Md Zisan Khan, 21, Md Zihad, 20, and Md Tutul, 20.

Police recovered two knives, two motorcycles, and three mobile phones from the suspects.

An arms case was filed against them with Shajahanpur Police Station, while filing of a case regarding the assault is ongoing, said a DB press release.

The assault occurred around 3:30pm on Sunday at a juice bar in the Jailkhana Mor area. The victims include Asafudoula Neon, staff correspondent of Bogura Live; Khorshed Alam, northern region correspondent of The Business Standard; and Taufiqul Islam Nirob, district correspondent of Bangladesh Betar.

The motive behind the assault remains unclear.

Khorshed said, "We went to the juice bar around 3:00pm. As we were leaving, a group of 12-14 youths surrounded Neon. I tried to intervene, but they began punching me. When they attempted to stab me, Neon stepped in to help, and 8-9 of them dragged him out and beat him on the street."

OC Bahar said, "In the initial interrogation, the attackers claimed they were upset because the bar staff served the journalists before them."