The newspaper, Dainik Andolaner Bazar, was forced to suspend its publication afterwards as its reporters cannot move freely in the town following threats from the BNP cadres.

Sources said around 20 cadres stormed Quality Press at Courtpara of the town at 5:00am when the press was printing the Dainik Andolaner Bazar. The cadres attacked the press employees and snatched the documents required to print the newspaper. As a result, no issue of Dainik Andolaner Bazar came out yesterday.

They also forced a staff of the daily, Safiq, out of the press as he was supervising the printing of the paper.

The newspaper earlier sought security for its reporters and staffs from the local administration. Anisuzzaman, executive editor of the daily, said he asked the deputy commissioner (DC) of Kushtia in a letter to provide necessary security for the paper and its employees.

"The DC asked me to file a case against lawmaker Shahidul," he said. When asked what steps would the DC take, Anisuzzaman said the DC has asked the superintendent of police to take necessary measures regarding the issue.

Anisuzzaman said Shahidul in a meeting on May 28 threatened to throttle the daily within 24 hours. The meeting was held only 100 yards from the Dainik Andolaner Bazar office. Three ruling party lawmakers of the district were also present in the meeting.

When contacted Editor of Dainik Andolaner Bazar, now in Dhaka fearing attacks on him, said a vested quarter is conspiring to gag the newspaper. Terming Monday's attack pre-planned he expressed his determination to keep on denouncing crime against all odds. "We will continue publishing our paper if local administration takes proper security measures," he added.

Contacted, the ruling party lawmaker Shahidul told The Daily Star, "Dainik Andolaner Bazar with its baseless reports was sullying my image." He however denied his involvement in the incident regarding the shutting down of Dainik Andolaner Bazar.