Noting that no one is above the law, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday told Parliament that action will be taken if any policeman is found involved in assaulting two TV journalists during a shutdown in the capital, reports UNB. "A probe panel has already been formed, head by an additional deputy commissioner, to look into the incident. We'll initiate the process of punishment after receiving the probe report," he said while responding to a supplementary question from ruling party MP Habibe Millat. The minister also said an assistant sub-inspector has already been suspended over the incident. On January 26, ATN News reporter Kazi Ehsan Bin Didar and its cameraman Abdul Alim were physically assaulted by policemen while performing duty at the entrance of Shahbagh Police Station during the half-day hartal enforced by National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas, Mineral Resources and Port-Power. The National Committee enforced the shutdown in the capital demanding cancellation of Rampal power plant project near the Sundarbans.
On the same day, ASI Ershad Mandal of Shahbagh Police Station was suspended over the incident. A three-member committee, headed by ADC (Admin) of Ramna Nabid Kamal, was also formed to probe the incident with its two other members being ADC Azimul Hoque and AC (Ramna) Ihsanul Hoque.