Police officer withdrawn over post on opposition's long march

A police officer has been withdrawn over a post on the official Facebook page of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) regarding a roadside meeting held at the Bhogra Bypass area in Gazipur on the occasion of the opposition's Dhaka-Rangpur long march. He has also been served a show-cause notice.

The withdrawn officer is Khandaker Jalal Uddin Mahmud. He had long been serving as the staff officer of the GMP commissioner. The GMP said he has been withdrawn and attached to the Police Headquarters.

It was learned that a roadside meeting was organised at the Bhogra Bypass intersection in Gazipur metropolis on Saturday on the occasion of the opposition's long march. Around 10am, leaders of the 11-party alliance, including opposition leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman, spoke there.

A large number of police personnel were deployed at various points on the highway and at the meeting venue by Gazipur Metropolitan Police centring the roadside meeting. Senior GMP officials were also present there.

After the roadside meeting, a post about the long march was published on the GMP's official Facebook page. It highlighted the destination and demands of the long march.

After the post was published, many leaders and activists of BNP and Chhatra Dal criticised it on social media and demanded action against the concerned officer. Later, the post was first edited and subsequently deleted from the GMP's official Facebook page.

Later, the officer was withdrawn and served a show-cause notice, according to GMP sources.

Confirming the withdrawal, GMP Deputy Commissioner Md Zahid Hossain Bhuiyan said, "The acting staff officer has been withdrawn and attached to the headquarters." He also confirmed that he was withdrawn because of the Facebook post.