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Police have detained a 35-year-old man for allegedly assaulting a person on a footpath in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area, while a police assistant sub-inspector who was present at the scene has been withdrawn from duty over alleged negligence.
The accused, Khalid Hasan, was detained near Meena Bazar in Dhanmondi around 11:45am on Wednesday. He was later produced before the Special Metropolitan Magistrate Court under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna zone.
Dhanmondi Police Station Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Imdadul Islam Tayeb confirmed the developments.
According to police, the incident occurred on Monday afternoon on Satmasjid Road, opposite Bangladesh Eye Hospital, where Khalid allegedly slapped and kicked Shahid Abdullah Al Masud, also known as Masud Rana, 48, and forced him to squat repeatedly while holding his ears.
The assault followed allegations that Masud had harassed a 23-year-old woman. The officer-in-charge said Masud had a mental health condition.
A 2-minute-and-12-second video of the incident went viral on social media, triggering widespread criticism and questions about the role of police officers present at the scene.
The footage shows Khalid verbally abusing and assaulting Masud as bystanders gather around them. Some people are heard discussing the allegation against Masud, while others record the incident on their mobile phones.
At one point, a bystander approaches Masud and urges that he be handed over to the two police personnel nearby. The video later shows Khalid questioning Masud and slapping him again.
The footage also shows two police personnel standing a short distance away as the assault takes place, prompting criticism on social media over their apparent inaction.
The officer-in-charge said Assistant Sub-Inspector Abdul Hai, who was assigned to the scene, had been withdrawn from the police station over alleged negligence. He said the other two personnel belonged to the Public Order Management unit and that he had no information about any action against them.
Police said Khalid works as a graphic designer at a private company.