'Bhanga highway police won’t extort'

Bhanga police station inspector (Traffic) ASM Asaduzzaman on Thursday said the highway police will not extort on the highway and they will not bear the responsibility of any individual policeman involved in extortion.

"I am announcing the closure of extortion by the former officers-in-charge (OCs) of Bhanga police station. If any policeman involves in extortion, he or she will have to bear the responsibility. There will be no extortion on the highway,” Asaduzzaman vowed.

The police official came up with this statement on Thursday at around 11:00am in a press briefing.

Bhanga police station OC has been transferred. Asaduzzaman is now discharging the duty.

In his written speech, ASM Asaduzzaman said, "The highway police will not take the responsibility if any organisation or individual other than the highway police extorts on the highway."

The statement has sparked criticism among the locals and the netizens.

Some people shared the written speech and raised questions, "Had the highway police been extorting money for so long? Is the extortion of the only highway police justified by saying that the highway police will not take the responsibility if any organisation or individual other than the highway police extort on the highway?"

When contacted, ASM Asaduzzaman said, "By this letter, I have meant that Bhanga highway police will not extort on the highway. We will not officially take the responsibility for any of our members' extortion,” he said.

He said, "However, there could be some linguistic mistakes in the letter."

Madaripur police superintendent (SP) of highway police Mustafizur Rahman said Bhanga police station OC was transferred. Now, ASM Asaduzzaman is discharging the duty. He has no experience in handling the press conference. He made a mistake failing to realise the reality.

The SP requested all to treat the matter with kindness.