Three executive magistrates of Kurigram have been withdrawn following a midnight mobile court drive that jailed a Bangla Tribune journalist Ariful Islam.

The Ministry of Public Administration issued a circular in this regard on Sunday (Mar 15).

The officials are -- Senior Assistant Commissioner Nazim Uddin, and Assistant Commissioners Rintu Bikash Chakma and SM Rahatul Islam.

They have been attached to the ministry and the order will come into effect immediately, the circular added.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain said: "There are allegations against them and they have been made officers on special duty [OSD].

"We will initiate divisional inquiry, and punitive action will be taken against them if they are found guilty after investigation," he added.

Ariful is the Kurigram correspondent of Bangla Tribune.

On Mar 14, a mobile court set up at the Kurigram deputy commissioner (DC)'s office in the dead of night, jailed the journalist for a year, after law enforcement led by magistrates picked him up from his residence.

The officials claimed to have recovered drugs and alcohol from his residence, which his family termed as absurd.

However, Ariful, who was hospitalized after getting bail on Sunday, said he was tortured before being picked up from his house.

The journalist was also stripped and tortured blindfolded during the time he was kept at the DC office.

In the drive, Nazim Uddin, Rintu Bikash, and Rahatul Islam were among others, who broke into his home.

Nazim was also accused of humiliating several people at his previous workplaces. 

On Nov 11, 2018, he was transferred from his post as assistant commissioner (land) of Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila to Rangamati's Langadu upazila after a video showing him humiliating an elderly man went viral on social media.