Narail Sadar OC withdrawn

The authorities have closed the officer in-charge of Narail Sadar police station, Shawkat Kabir, and attached him to the police's Khulna range reserve force.

Prabir Kumar Ray, Narail police super (SP), confirmed this to Prothom Alo on Sunday, saying that the Khulna Range DIG office issued the order on Saturday night.

Asked about reasons behind the withdrawal, the Narail SP said, “DIG sir could explain it better. I have only received the message of his (Sadar OC) closure.”

Meanwhile, the closed OC was replaced by inspector Mahamudur of the Sadar police station.

The development came after a huge public outcry over the humiliation of the acting principal of Mirzapur United College in Narail Sadar upazila in broad daylight on 18 June. The role of police personnel during the incident was also called in question.

Witnesses and police sources said an eleventh grader of the college on 17 June posted a picture of Nupur Sharma, suspended spokesperson of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, and paid respect to her. A recent remark of Nupur insulting Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) created global outrage among the Muslims.

As the Facebook post by the student created uproar in the area, the college’s principal Swapan Kumar Biswas discussed the matter with teachers, father of the student and some members of the governing body.

As per the decision taken during the discussion, the accused student was handed over to the police on the college premises. A number of college students and some outsiders created an obstruction when the police went to detain the accused student. Later the authorities informed the deputy commissioner and the SP about the incident.

When principal Swapan Kumar and the accused student were forcefully brought out from a room of the first floor of the college building at around 4:00pm, some people placed garlands of shoes around their necks.

Local deputy commissioner and the SP were present on the college premises during the incident.