A leader of the Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal was allegedly beaten and injured inside a police station in Rangpur city by several police personnel, including the officer-in-charge (OC), prompting authorities to withdraw four officers and form an investigation committee.
The incident took place around 10:30 pm on Wednesday at Kotwali Police Station.
The victim, Rakibul Islam Rakib, is the member secretary of the Rangpur Sadar Upazila unit of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal.
According to the victim and eyewitnesses, a young couple who had previously been reported missing through a General Diary (GD) filed by their family members was found and brought to Kotwali Police Station on Wednesday evening. Several Swechchhasebak Dal leaders later went to the station at the request of the couple’s families to help settle the matter.
Rakib claimed that upon arriving at the station, he saw a police officer allegedly assaulting the couple. When he protested and attempted to inform a party leader over the phone, the OC, an SI and several other police personnel allegedly attacked and beat him.
Following the incident, BNP and its associate body activists gathered in front of the police station. As tensions mounted, the station’s collapsible gate was closed. Rakib later spoke to journalists from inside the gate, visibly injured with blood stains on his body and swelling around one eye.
Rakib alleged that despite repeatedly identifying himself as a Swechchhasebak Dal leader and a BNP activist who had suffered political persecution over the past 17 years, he was assaulted and left bleeding. He also claimed that two of his mobile phones were seized during the incident.
Rangpur Metropolitan BNP Convener Shamsuzzaman Samu rushed to the police station after learning of the incident and arranged for Rakib’s treatment at a hospital. The recovered couple was released from the station around 11:30 pm.
Condemning the incident, Rangpur district Swechchhasebak Dal Member Secretary Zakaria Islam Jim alleged that the mindset of some police personnel had not changed despite political changes in the country. He warned of a strong protest movement if action was not taken against those responsible within 24 hours.
Later, Rangpur Metropolitan Police ordered three officers directly involved in the incident to be attached to the police lines. They are female constable Lima Soren, duty officer Meherunnesa and Sub-Inspector Masud Rana. The information was confirmed by the Metropolitan Police media cell late Wednesday night.
Denying the allegations, Kotwali Police Station OC Azad Rahman said no one had been assaulted. According to him, police intervened only to stop an altercation between members of the two families of the recovered couple.
Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mohammad Abdul Mabud said a three-member probe committee had been formed to investigate the allegations. He confirmed that the OC and three other police personnel had been withdrawn pending the outcome of the investigation.