Bangladesh Cricketer Naim Hasan Alleges Police Assault and Harassment in Chittagong

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Bangladesh national cricket team player Nayeem Hasan has publicly accused police officers of physical assault and harassment following an incident in Chittagong late Friday night. The cricketer, speaking at a press conference at his residence on Saturday, described being forcibly removed from his auto-rickshaw and beaten by officers while returning home from the airport.

Nayeem recounted that the confrontation began in the Lalkhan Bazar area when police signaled his vehicle to stop. According to the cricketer, police officers, identified as Sub-Inspector Shafiqul Islam and Constable Md. Russell Chowdhury, along with a police informant known as Sohel, began assaulting him with sticks and pipes after seizing the driver’s documents. Nayeem stated that he was subsequently coerced into another auto-rickshaw and taken to the Khulshi Police Station, where he alleged he faced further intimidation.

The cricketer credited his release to the timely intervention of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials, specifically noting a phone call from Tamim Iqbal to the officer-in-charge of the station. Nayeem expressed frustration over his treatment while at the station, alleging that he was silenced by the officer-in-charge when he attempted to speak during the phone conversation. He credited local supporters who gathered at the scene and followed him to the station for preventing the situation from escalating further.

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In response to the allegations, the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) has taken swift disciplinary action. CMP Commissioner Hasan Md. Shawkat Ali confirmed on Saturday that Sub-Inspector Shafiqul Islam and Constable Md. Russell Chowdhury have been temporarily suspended. The officers had previously been withdrawn from the Khulshi station and attached to the CMP lines. Additionally, authorities have arrested the police informant, Sohel, in connection with the assault.

The CMP has launched a three-member committee to conduct a formal investigation into the incident. While Nayeem emphasized that he is currently shaken and seeking privacy, he called for the maximum punishment for those responsible to ensure such conduct is not repeated. He maintained that he remained cooperative throughout the encounter, despite the lack of procedural decorum shown by the officers involved.