A police officer who was recently removed as officer-in-charge (OC) of Dhaka’s Cantonment Police Station has been taken to the Detective Branch (DB) office for questioning after an audio recording allegedly featuring his remarks went viral on social media.
Inspector Md Rakibul Hasan was taken to the DB office on Mintoo Road in Dhaka on Thursday night, September 17, as part of an investigation into the recording, according to sources.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter on the instructions of DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed. The committee is headed by a senior DMP official and includes an officer from the DB.
Speaking to Bangla Tribune late Thursday night, Additional Commissioner (DB) Shafiqul Islam said Hasan had not been taken into custody or suspended, but had been withdrawn from his post.
“He has not been taken into custody. He was withdrawn, not suspended. However, as his audio has gone viral, he may be called to the DB office as part of the inquiry. A DB official is also on the investigation committee,” Shafiqul said.
An audio recording purportedly featuring Hasan began circulating on social media on Wednesday night. In it, the speaker is heard making various comments about the government, administration, armed forces and police.
According to the recording, the speaker allegedly said police personnel deployed on the streets were “very weak” and claimed that if former prime minister Sheikh Hasina returned in December, police officers would be unable to do anything.
The recording also allegedly contains remarks about senior police officials leaning towards the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), while suggesting that field-level police personnel had not followed the same course. The speaker is also heard discussing allegations of bribery in police postings.
Following the circulation of the audio, DMP Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed signed an order on Thursday withdrawing Hasan from his position as OC of Cantonment Police Station.
The investigation committee is expected to examine the authenticity and circumstances surrounding the recording and determine whether further action is warranted.
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