Two policemen have been withdrawn after Bangladesh national cricket team spinner Nayeem Hasan was physically assaulted and manhandled by some policemen in Lal Khan Bazar area of Chattogram port city.

They are sub-inspector Md. Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan and constable Md. Russell Chowdhury.

Nayeem’s brother Sabbir Hasan filed a case against three people including the two cops with Khulshi Police Station over allegations of assaulting and harassing Nayeem Hasan.

According to the case statement, Nayeem Hasan returned to Chattogram from Dhaka by air late Friday night.

While travelling home from the airport by CNG-run auto-rickshaw, he was intercepted near the Lal Khan Bazar flyover around 1:00 am by a patrol team of police.

The police officers beat Nayeem up despite identifying himself as a national cricketer and taken to Khulshi Police Station around 2:00am where he was mistreated again without being informed of any specific charges.

Nayeem claimed that he was struck with a baton and physically assaulted inside the police station. The incident sparked widespread criticism across sporting and public circles.

Officer-in-Charge of Khulshi police station Arifur Rahman said SI Shafiqul had not informed him about the operation before and that he only learned about Nayeem’s identity after he was brought to the station.

Police later expressed regret and requested Nayeem to leave the station respectfully, he said.

However, Nayeem’s family reportedly insisted they would not leave until those involved are punished.

Another accused in the case is police informant Sohel.

SI Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan and Constable Russell Chowdhury have been withdrawn from their posts, said sources at Chattogram Metropolitan Police while police arrested Sohel in this connection.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) strongly condemned the matter and called for swift intervention.