Police SI withdrawn for forcing driver to prostrate mid-street

A police sub-inspector (SI) has been attached to the Cox's Bazar Police Lines after he forced a truck driver to prostrate on the street in broad daylight at Pekua union. Police have opened an investigation into the incident. SI Touhidul Islam was allegedly hit by a truck at Pekua's Choumuhoni Station around Thursday noon. The angry policeman paid no heed to the truck driver's apologies and forced him to get on his knees and lay on the ground with his face downward. Truck driver Mir Qasem, 50, alleged the policeman had threatened to shoot him if he did not comply with the order. He said he was on his way to Chittagong when a policeman signalled him to stop at Choumuhoni. “As soon as I got down from the truck, the policeman ordered me to prostrate while holding my ears,” he claimed. “When I objected, he threatened to shoot me and forced me to do what he said.” A picture of the incident made rounds on social media and local newspapers were quick to run the report. SI Touhidul later offered apologies, dubbing the episode a "misunderstanding." AKM Iqbal Hossain, the district police chief, said they formed a committee, headed by an assistant police superintendent, to investigate the incident. “We will take action against the accused policeman after the committee files its report within Saturday,” he said.