Shariful Hasan Raises Concern Over Alleged Police Assault on Cricketer Naim Hasan
BRAC official and prominent social media activist Shariful Hasan has expressed deep concern over the alleged assault, harassment and mistreatment of national cricket team spinner Naim Hasan by individuals identifying themselves as members of the Detective Branch (DB) of police. In a lengthy post published on his verified Facebook account, he described the incident as a stark reflection of the continuing challenges surrounding the rule of law, good governance and the protection of citizens' rights in Bangladesh.
Condemning the incident, Shariful Hasan wrote, “Listening to Naim describe the entire ordeal was extremely painful and inhumane. If a national cricketer can face such treatment, one can only imagine what ordinary and marginalized citizens experience on a regular basis.”
According to Shariful Hasan, Naim Hasan was returning home from the airport in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw while dressed in ordinary clothing, leading officers to treat him as an average citizen without influence or connections.
Highlighting what he described as unequal treatment in law enforcement, he wrote, “You rarely hear of police pulling someone out of an expensive private car and subjecting them to abuse. But people travelling in CNGs, rickshaws or local buses can easily become targets because they are perceived as powerless and disconnected from influential circles.”
https://www.facebook.com/hasan.shariful/posts/10163287087286342?ref=embed_post
In his post, Shariful Hasan recounted details allegedly provided by the cricketer. Naim reportedly stated that while returning home from Chattogram International Airport, several individuals claiming to be DB officers stopped him on the road. Despite identifying himself as a national cricketer and presenting official identification, he alleged that he was physically assaulted, forcibly taken into custody and subjected to prolonged harassment at a police station.
Shariful Hasan argued that the incident gained public attention primarily because the victim is a well-known sports personality. “Because Naim Hasan is a celebrity cricketer, the matter has reached the media and prompted action from authorities. But countless ordinary citizens face similar experiences every day without receiving justice or attention,” he wrote.
He further stressed that the issue should not be viewed as an isolated incident involving a few individuals. According to him, the problem reflects deeper institutional shortcomings that have persisted for decades.
“Treating this as merely the fault of a few rogue officers would be a mistake,” he wrote. “Successive governments have historically used the police as instruments for maintaining political authority rather than building a fully professional and accountable law enforcement institution.”
Shariful Hasan also argued that while Bangladesh has witnessed significant infrastructural development over the decades, the establishment of a robust rule-of-law framework remains incomplete.
“Over the past 55 years, governments have built roads, bridges and various development projects, but the most essential pillar of a democratic state—the rule of law—has never been fully established,” he stated.
Calling for comprehensive reforms, he urged policymakers to ensure the independence of state institutions, including the judiciary, executive bodies and law enforcement agencies. He particularly emphasized the need to free the police force from political influence and transform it into a professional, citizen-oriented institution.
“A country cannot move forward if people are routinely subjected to humiliation and harassment by those entrusted with enforcing the law,” he wrote. “If citizens cannot expect dignity and justice from the police, courts and administrative institutions, the future of that nation becomes uncertain.”
The incident involving Naim Hasan sparked widespread discussion across social media after reports emerged that the national cricketer had allegedly been assaulted and harassed by DB personnel on a road in Chattogram. Amid growing public criticism, authorities have reportedly withdrawn three police officers from active duty and attached them to the police lines pending investigation. A high-level inquiry committee has also been formed to examine the allegations.
//DBTech/SH/EK/OR//
