Shahbagh police inspector seen covering a protester’s mouth during ‘March for Justice’ suspended

Shahbagh Police Inspector (Operations) Md. Arshad Hossain has been temporarily suspended following a widely criticized incident where he was seen covering the mouth of a student protester during the quota reform movement near the Supreme Court area.

The suspension order was issued on Sunday by Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Md. Mainul Hasan.

The incident occurred on July 31 during a ‘March for Justice’ organized by students advocating for quota reform. Amid the protests, Arshad Hossain was filmed forcibly covering the mouth of Nahidul Islam, a political science student from Dhaka’s New Model Degree College. The footage quickly went viral on social media, sparking widespread condemnation.

In response, the DMP acknowledged that Inspector Arshad’s unprofessional conduct not only harmed the image of the police force but also created a negative public perception of their operations. His actions were deemed inappropriate for a disciplined member of the police, leading to his suspension.

In addition to the mouth-covering incident, Inspector Arshad has faced several other allegations. He was accused of labeling the protesting students as members of the Jamaat-e-Islami‍‍`s student wing, Shibir. A video of him making these claims also circulated on social media, further inflaming the situation.