A journalist was injured after being assaulted allegedly by activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami during an altercation between reporters and party activists at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka this morning.

The injured journalist was identified as Mahfuzur Rahman Shishir, a reporter for the daily Sokal.

Witnesses said Jamaat-e-Islami's Dhanmondi Zone organised a procession in the area around 8:30am to prevent any possible sabotage ahead of the 77th founding anniversary of the Awami League, whose activities remain banned.

After the procession, a dispute reportedly broke out between Jamaat activists and journalists during a briefing. It could not be immediately known what triggered the altercation.

At one point, some Jamaat activists allegedly accused a journalist of being Awami League supporter. When reporters protested, an argument ensued and later turned violent.

The activists allegedly grabbed Shishir by the collar and punched him. As he fell to the ground, some of them kicked him, witnesses said.

Fellow journalists later rescued him and took him to a nearby private hospital for treatment.

Speaking to reporters, Shishir said, "It is shameful that Jamaat men attacked a journalist and injured me."

"You [Jamaat-e-Islami] speak about media freedom. Does grabbing a journalist by the collar and attacking him represent freedom of the press?" he said.

Abdus Sattar Sumon, assistant secretary for publicity affairs of Jamaat-e-Islami's Dhaka South city unit, described the incident as "unfortunate".

"We do not support any form of misconduct towards journalists," he said.

"We will identify those involved through footage and take organisational action against them. We will also investigate whether any outsiders were involved."