Two officers-in-charge (OCs) have been suspended for allegedly beating BNP leaders, including Abdus Sattar, general secretary of the Lalmonirhat district unit of Swechchhasebak Dal.

The suspended officers are Abdul Quader, OC of Sadar Police Station, and Firoz Hossain, OC of the Detective Branch (DB).

Lalmonirhat Police Superintendent Tariqul Islam said that a three-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident, with a 7-day deadline.

Earlier, the two OCs attended a dinner in the Mostafi area of Sadar upazila of Lalmonirhat on Tuesday night hosted by Awami League leader Akher Uddin, who is facing multiple charges. Upon learning of this, BNP leaders and activists went to the place to take photos and question why the accused was hosting a dinner instead of being arrested.

In response, the police officers became aggressive, detaining the BNP members and confiscating their mobile phones, they said.

The incident quickly sparked outrage among local BNP leaders, activists, and the general public. When protesters blocked the Lalmonirhat-Dhaka highway to demand the release of the detainees, police charged with batons, injuring 12 individuals, including Swechchhasebak Dal leader Abdus Sattar, Jubo Dal leader Habibur Rahman Nayan, and Chhatra Dal leader Biplob Hossain. 

The injured were taken to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital for treatment.

Subsequently, hundreds of local BNP leaders and activists blocked the highway for five hours from 11 pm, demanding the removal of the Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station OC and DB OC. 

The blockade caused severe traffic congestion, with hundreds of vehicles stranded on the road. 

The protest ended around 4 am after the army arrived and assured the protesters that the incident would be investigated.

There was no response despite several attempts to contact the suspended OCs on their mobile phones.