A Dhaka court has expressed dissatisfaction over the role of police in the closure of a Panjabi shop belonging to Nobin Fashion in the capital’s Moghbazar area.
The officer-in-charge (OC) of Hatirjheel Police Station has been summoned, and the court ordered that the shop be reopened within 24 hours.
The order was issued on Wednesday by Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman, acting on his own initiative.
According to the court order, an online report published in a national daily stated that a group of individuals, in the presence of police, went to a Panjabi shop of Nobin Fashion located at Bishal Centre Market in Moghbazar of the capital and forced it to close. Although some individuals were seen behaving disorderly at the scene, the police personnel present reportedly remained passive.
The court observed that such inaction by the police could create fear among the public and raise questions about the professionalism of law enforcement agencies.
The order further stated that the OC of Hatirjheel Police Station must appear before the court within three days and submit a written explanation as to why such conduct should not be considered unlawful and unprofessional.
Additionally, the court directed that the Nobin Fashion shop be reopened within 24 hours, with the OC personally present at the site. It also instructed that the full identities of those involved in the incident be submitted to the court.
It is worth noting that a video of the incident went viral on social media on March 20, the day before Eid-ul-Fitr. The footage showed that the ‘Nobin Fashion’ shop was shut down by neighbouring traders, allegedly due to its comparatively lower prices. Some local traders objected, likening the sale of low-priced products to ‘relief distribution’.
