Administrative Tribunal orders reinstatement of police constable Nazmul sacked over 'tip' incident

The Administrative Tribunal-1 has ordered the reinstatement of police constable Nazmul Tarek, who was dismissed from service over the much-discussed 'tip' incident at Farmgate in the capital in 2022.

Judge Amirul Islam of Administrative Tribunal-1 delivered the verdict on Thursday (July 23). Nazmul Tarek's lawyer, Advocate Abdur Rahim Kajal, confirmed the matter. He said the court has ordered Nazmul's reinstatement.

The incident took place on April 2, 2022, in the Farmgate area of the capital. At the time, Constable Nazmul Tarek was serving in the Protection Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). The allegation was that he had an argument with Lata Samaddar, a lecturer in the Theatre and Media Studies department of Tejgaon College, while she was riding a motorcycle on the wrong side of the road.

Lata Samaddar later alleged that a person in police uniform made a derogatory remark, asking her "Why are you wearing a tip?" The incident went viral on social media, sparking widespread discussion and criticism across the country. Following an investigation, Nazmul Tarek was first suspended and later dismissed from service through departmental proceedings.

However, from the very beginning, Nazmul Tarek denied the allegations, claiming he never made any comment about the 'tip' and that the entire incident was fabricated. He also stated that a shopkeeper eyewitness at the scene did not support the allegations against him.

After being dismissed, Nazmul Tarek filed a case with the Administrative Tribunal in November 2022. Following lengthy hearings, the court on Thursday ordered his reinstatement.