Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government on August 5, several media offices were attacked. Among those targeted was the office of Naeemul Islam Khan, Sheikh Hasina's Press Secretary. Four days after the attack on his Tejgaon office, on August 9, the authorities announced the closure of three daily newspapers. This information was confirmed to the media by Saleh Biplob, Executive Editor of Dainik Amader Notun Shomoy. However, at that time, no information was provided regarding the news portal Amader Shomoy Dot Com, which was operated from the same office._x000D_
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Curious about the portal, we noticed that its website is still active, with regular news updates. The name Rashid Riaz appears in the executive editor’s position. While not much is known about him, we found several recent articles related to India under his byline._x000D_
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Just below the executive editor’s name, a Dubai address is listed. This address points to Gholab Bhaban on Fahidi Street in Dubai. Upon investigation, we discovered a store and a residential building in that area with the same name._x000D_
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However, the most intriguing information surfaced when we tried contacting the three phone numbers listed on the site. The Dubai number led us to a picture and the name Rajib. We identified this person as Rajib Ahmed, who is Naeemul Islam Khan's IT specialist and owns a company called Raida IT. Visiting the Raida IT website, we found three office locations listed, one of which was Naeemul Islam Khan’s newspaper office, with additional offices in Bangla Motor and Comilla._x000D_
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When we reached out to Rajib on WhatsApp to inquire about the news portal, he initially did not respond. Later, he simply replied with "Sorry" and offered no further explanation. Upon reviewing his Facebook profile and mutual connections, we confirmed that Rajib indeed managed the IT department for Naeemul Islam Khan. His profile also featured photos of him at the office with journalists. Although there is no concrete evidence of his permanent residence in Dubai, it is likely he has visited a few times. Since Rajib oversees the IT department, it is assumed that he is currently managing the website, although Naeemul Islam Khan’s exact level of involvement remains unclear._x000D_
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Additionally, one of the other numbers led us to a person named Rahib, who, according to the Truecaller app, is also associated with Amader Shomoy Dot Com. Another WhatsApp number seems to be used for business purposes. The TeleTalk number we identified as belonging to Rahib is also listed on the Raida IT website, suggesting that both numbers could belong to Rajib._x000D_
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While Rajib may have control over the website, it has been confirmed that he does not control the Facebook page. Since August 1, no new posts have been made on the Facebook page, but news is still being regularly uploaded to the website._x000D_
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Analyzing the entire situation, it appears that Amader Shomoy Dot Com is being managed by Rajib under the leadership of Naeemul Islam Khan. Given that Naeemul Islam Khan has been in hiding while selling off his assets, it wouldn't be difficult for this 'shrewd and experienced' journalist to operate the portal from behind the scenes. The executive editor’s name and the Dubai address seem to be part of an elaborate ruse to mislead others about the actual location and control of the website.
Upon viewing the report, several questions immediately arise. What evidence did the reporter use to substantiate the claim? Whose interviews or statements were aired?
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