Bangladesh off-spinner Nayeem Hasan says he was “beaten indiscriminately” by policemen in Chattogram late on Friday, only hours after returning from a Dhaka Premier League fixture in Savar. The 25-year-old, travelling home from the airport in a CNG auto-rickshaw, was stopped near Lalkhan Bazar and, according to his account, hauled off the three-wheeler, throttled and bundled into another vehicle.
“I repeatedly told them who I was, but they refused to listen,” Nayeem told reporters on Saturday. “The police beat me indiscriminately with sticks and plastic pipes. Later, when I identified myself at the police station, the officer-in-charge told me to keep my eyes down while speaking.”
Onlookers, he added, tried to intervene, pointing out that he plays for the national side, yet the officers ignored them. “If they were really police officers, why did they try to put me into a CNG instead of a police vehicle? I want a fair investigation and justice over the entire incident.”
Released in the small hours, the off-spinner spent much of Saturday resting at home and fielding calls from team-mates, board officials and media. Senior batter Mushfiqur Rahim posted on X: “What happened to Nayeem is absolutely unacceptable. I want a fair investigation of the incident. I am hurt and ashamed at what happened to Nayeem. I protest this incident as a Bangladesh citizen. Nayeem, we are with you!”
Police response and early inquiry
Chattogram Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Amirul Islam acknowledged procedural lapses may have occurred. “It appears initially that the officers involved did not follow proper procedures during the operation,” he told The Daily Sun. “We will ensure that he [Nayeem] receives justice, and whoever is found responsible will be brought under punishment.”
The force has opened an internal inquiry; initial statements from rank-and-file officers were taken on Saturday afternoon. Local media report at least four constables have been moved to “lines” (administrative duty) pending findings—a common first step in Bangladesh during investigations of alleged misconduct.
Board expresses concern
The Bangladesh Cricket Board issued a strongly worded release: “The Bangladesh Cricket Board expresses its deep concern regarding the reported incident involving harassment and abuse of Bangladesh national team cricketer Nayeem Hasan by some law enforcing agency members in Chattogram on Friday evening,” the statement read. “The board strongly condemns the unacceptable and inappropriate conduct displayed towards the player and views the matter with the utmost seriousness. Such treatment of a national athlete is deeply regrettable and warrants immediate attention.
“The BCB expects a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident and urges the relevant authorities to take appropriate action against those found responsible.”
Tamim Iqbal, who is part of the current BCB set-up as a player-director, said he and board colleagues had reached out quickly. “After Nayeem called me last night, the other board officials and I have tried to do whatever we could to help him. We are speaking to everyone concerned, and have been in close touch with Nayeem and his family too,” he told local TV.
What might come next
Assault allegations involving police are, sadly, not rare in Bangladesh. According to the independent rights group ASK, complaints of excessive force have risen steadily over the past five years, although only a handful reach court. Nayeem’s profile may keep this case from fading quickly.
Legally, the cricketer could file a criminal complaint under Sections 323 and 506 of the Penal Code (voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation). A departmental inquiry, though, typically concludes first; should that process find wrongdoing, the officers face suspension, loss of seniority or dismissal before any court hearing begins.
From a cricketing point of view, the incident arrives at a tricky juncture for Nayeem. He missed most of last season recovering from a shoulder problem and is fighting for a spot in the Test XI ahead of the home series against Zimbabwe next month. Selectors, sources say, are more worried about his bowling workload than the psychological impact of Friday’s events, yet the matter may still disrupt his match preparation.
Why it matters beyond cricket
Public figures complaining of police aggression often galvanise debate about everyday treatment of citizens. A well-known athlete describing being grabbed by the throat in the middle of a busy city square resonates far beyond the sport. Human-rights lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua says high-profile cases can “shine an uncomfortable torch” on structural issues. “If a capped international can be roughed up despite identifying himself, think of what ordinary folk face nightly,” he said on a television panel.
The immediate focus remains on the inquiry. If handled transparently—an open press briefing, a written report released in full—faith in local policing may get a modest lift. Should it drag or produce a vague reprimand, resentment is likely to grow, and cricket could again become a proxy battleground for wider civic frustration.
For now, the off-spinner is trying to park the episode and get back into bowling rhythm at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Indoor Centre. Friends say he is shaken but determined. As he put it plainly on Saturday: “I want a fair investigation and justice over the entire incident.”
