Court summons Hatirjheel OC over ‘Nobin Fashion’ closure

Bangla Press Desk:  A Dhaka court on Wednesday ordered the officer-in-charge (OC) of Hatirjheel Police Station to appear before it over the incident of shutting down ‘Nobin Fashion’ in the Moghbazar area of the capital.

Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman passed the order suo motu as a Justice of Peace under Section 25 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.Omar Faruq Faruqi, public prosecutor of the court, confirmed the information.

Additionally, the court also directed the OC to reopen the shop within the next 24 hours by being present at the spot.

According to the order, a report published in the online version of a national daily stated that a group of people, accompanied by police, went to a panjabi shop named ‘Nobin Fashion’ at Bishal Centre Market in Moghbazar and ordered it to shut down. 

Although some individuals were seen behaving disorderly at the scene, the police personnel present stood passively.

The court observed that such inaction by police could create fear among the public and asked why such conduct should not be declared unlawful and contrary to professional standards.

The court also directed the OC of Hatirjheel Police Station to appear before it within three days with a written explanation. 

It further instructed the OC to reopen the shop within 24 hours in his presence and to submit detailed identities of those involved in the incident.

Notably, a video went viral on social media on 20 March, ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, showing that some nearby shopkeepers shut down the ‘Nobin Fashion’ shop in Moghbazar for selling panjabis at lower prices.