Three Police Officers Suspended Following Assault on Bangladeshi Cricketer Nayeem Hasan

Dhaka. Three police officers have been suspended following widespread public outrage over the incident of police mistreatment and assault on Bangladeshi national cricketer Nayeem Hasan.

A three-member investigation committee has also been formed by the government to ascertain the facts of the incident that occurred last Friday night in Chittagong.

According to Bangladeshi media, the suspended officers include Sub-Inspector Mohammad ShafiKul Islam Bhuiyan, Constable Mohammad Russel Chowdhury, and another unnamed constable from Operations Management. Considering the seriousness of the incident, the Commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), Shaukat Ali, visited the residence of the victim cricketer Nayeem on Saturday. He clarified that as soon as the formed committee submits its investigation report, strict legal action will be initiated against all three guilty officers.

Earlier on Saturday, while talking to journalists, CMP Deputy Commissioner Amirul Islam stated that no one found guilty would be spared. Talking to 'The Daily Sun', he said, 'Prima facie, it appears that the officers involved in the operation did not follow the prescribed proper procedure. We will ensure that Nayeem gets justice and whoever is found responsible will be brought to justice.'

Cricketer Nayeem Hasan was returning to his home in Chittagong via Dhaka airport after finishing his team Prime Bank Cricket Club's Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League match in Savar, near Dhaka, on Friday. He was not included in the final eleven for that match.

While returning home, the police stopped the CNG auto-rickshaw he was traveling in near the Lal Khan Bazar area of Chittagong. According to Nayeem, the police officers were very aggressive and hostile towards him, but he did not know the reason for their behavior.

The police tried to force him into another auto-rickshaw by grabbing him by the neck and taking him to the police station. Eyewitnesses present tried to explain to the police that he was a national cricketer of Bangladesh, but the police completely ignored this. After pressure from all sides, the police released Nayeem early Saturday morning, and he was able to return home.