The British High Commission in Dhaka has urged the home minister to take action against some officers of the Detective Branch (DB) of the police for assaulting Arshad Mathia, a British citizen and an investor, said sources in the foreign and home ministries.
On December 14 last, a note verbale (No. CONS/112/16) in this respect was sent to the home minister from the High Commission. It also requested the minister to keep the British High Commission informed about the action that would be taken against the accused police officers, the sources added.
The High Commission also sent a note verbale to the foreign ministry after receiving a complaint from Arshad Mathia (Passport No. GBR 534603550), requesting that action be taken against the police officers, the sources claimed.
In the note, the British High Commission says: “Arshad Mathia, who is operating a garments factory named S-21 Apparels Limited, located at Narshingapur in the Ashulia Sadar thana area in the capital, was unlawfully arrested and harassed by members of the local law enforcement authorities in Dhaka.”
Arshad’s partner, Abdur Rahman, a director of S-21 Apparels Limited, was also assaulted by the police officers.  
In the complaint, written by Arshad Mathia and sent to home minister Asaduzzaman Khan and the British High Commission in Dhaka on November 20 last year, he alleged: "I am a long-time investor in Bangladesh, running a joint venture 100 per cent garments export-oriented woven factory. A most serious incident took place on November 30, 2016, involving Detective Branch policemen, Ashulia thana OC (officer-in-charge) and the director of Fariha Accessories and Trading International Limited. On the day, I had just left my factory premises together with my partner, Abdur Rahman. Suddenly, our car was blocked by a dark blue van... I saw approximately ten men rushing out of the vehicle with guns. They rushed to our vehicle, demanding very aggressively that we get out immediately without any explanation. They forced me and my partner out of the car and began to physically assault us. They pushed us into their vehicle against our will. I begged and pleaded with them to release us or allow me to make a phone call to the British High Commission. They refused. They said: 'We are Detective Branch, we own, run and control Bangladesh'.
"They demanded I pay Fariha Accessories and Trading International Limited Tk. 2 crore. If I do not pay the amount, they will file a case against me and my business will be burnt to the ground. We refused to pay the money and later we were charged in a case filed by Jasmeen Hassan, MD of Fariha Accessoroes Ltd, for demanding ransom and printing counterfeit US dollars in our factory premises, which was completely false. The next day, Jasmeen Hassan organised a large group of people and policemen told all our 800 workers that the factory has been closed and we are going to prison. They attacked the factory and 95 per cent of the workers ran away, fearing for their safety.
"As the local police refused to take our case and complaint, I’m writing to your good office for an independent and open investigation."
The director of S-21 Apparels Limited, Abdur Rahman, told The Independent that even after the complaint was filed in November last year, nothing has been done so far. “The authorities are yet to take steps to investigate the matter. A sub-inspector (SI) of Ashulia police station, Avijit, contacted me after the complaint was filed, but he did not visit me further,” he said.
When this correspondent wanted to talk to Arshad Mathia, he said Mathia has declined to comment on the matter, as it is under investigation.
A senior official of the home ministry told this correspondent on condition of anonymity that the complaint is under investigation. “Action will be taken against the accused if they are found guilty,” he said.
At present, Arshad Mathia and Abdur Rahman are busy with the production of garments.