AC Shahidul suspended

The home ministry has suspended Shahidul Islam, assistant commissioner of police of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Tejgaon division), and attached him to Chittagong Range for assaulting three photojournalists on Saturday.
According to sources in the police headquarters, the additional inspector general of police (establishment) yesterday sent a proposal to the secretary of the home ministry to suspend him and attach him to Chittagong Range police in the afternoon. The ministry approved it.
AKM Shahidul Hoque, additional IGP (admin), told The Daily Star that the police headquarters first decided to transfer Shahidul to the Police Training College at Betbunia in Rangamati district and he signed the transfer letter, but later the IGP changed the decision.
Policemen led by Shahidul swooped on Khaled Sarkar, Sajid Hossain and Zahidul Karim of the Bangla daily Prothom Alo while they were covering a demonstration by students of Dhaka Women Polytechnic Institute.
After the incident, the authorities instantly closed AC Shahidul to DMP and suspended a sub-inspector, two assistant sub-inspectors and six constables, including the bodyguard of Shahidul.
Attached to Chittagong Range, he would be able to draw 50 percent of his basic salary according to the system.
Meanwhile, the DMP authorities formed a one-member committee of a joint commissioner to probe into the police attack on the journalists.
The probe body is aimed at taking departmental action against those responsible for the incident, police sources said.
IGP Hassan Mahmood Khandker told The Daily Star that the investigation was on.
Different organisations of journalists yesterday staged protests in front of Jatiya Press Club, demanding punishment to the policemen.
Journalists from Jatiya Press Club, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, Dhaka Union of Journalists, Dhaka Reporters Unity, Bangladesh Photojournalists Association and Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh took part in the protest programme.