The shocking assault on Bangladesh national team cricketer Nayeem Hasan by police officers in Chittagong is a disgrace that has rightly sparked outrage.
That a citizen - let alone a national athlete - could be beaten without provocation, despite identifying himself, exposes the deep rot in policing culture.
Of course, such an incident is not a rare phenomenon. Arbitrary stops, harassment, and excessive force have long been associated with our police force. It is no wonder that public trust in the police keeps deteriorating.
Suspending a few officers or forming inquiry committees is not, and has never been, enough. These are band‑aid measures that have done little to address the systemic failures of our police force.
The problem has never been just misconduct but the impunity that the police have enjoyed. Too often, officers act as aggressors rather than guardians, confident that accountability will be minimal and consequences short‑lived.
This is what must end. Bangladesh needs structural police reform with immediate effect.
That means independent oversight bodies to investigate misconduct, not just internal reviews. It means having properly trained officers rather than relying on intimidation. Above all, it means a cultural shift, having policing that is about service and not domination.
The assault on Nayeem Hasan is symbolic of a problem we have had in the country for too long. If even a national cricketer can be treated with such disregard, what hope is there for ordinary citizens?
Bangladesh cannot afford to let this incident fade into memory with token suspensions. The time has come to confront the failures of policing and build a force that earns respect through service, not fear.
