MA Muhit says administrative measures are already under way after outsiders allegedly entered the director’s office and assaulted him.
Video footage reveals a group of individuals pulling IEDCR Director Prof Kazi Ahmed Zaki from his chair and assaulting him on 28 October. DAB leadership condemned the incident and initiated an organizational investigation to identify all members involved. Photo: Video Screen Short
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Video footage reveals a group of individuals pulling IEDCR Director Prof Kazi Ahmed Zaki from his chair and assaulting him on 28 October. DAB leadership condemned the incident and initiated an organizational investigation to identify all members involved. Photo: Video Screen Short
The government will take all necessary legal and administrative measures over the assault on Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Director Dr Kazi Ahmed Zaki, State Minister for Health MA Muhit has said.
The state minister made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists after a policy dialogue titled “Climate Change, Health System and Resilience in Bangladesh”, organised by Knowledge Hub Institute at BRAC Centre in Dhaka today (29 October).
Such an attack on a director inside a government institution is unacceptable, he said, stressing that ensuring people’s safety is the government’s responsibility.
“We have seen the video footage of the attack on Dr Zaki. Outsiders entered the institution and assaulted him. Physical attacks of this kind on anyone are condemnable and unacceptable,” Muhit said.
He said the assault took place inside the director’s office while a meeting was under way and researchers and others were present.
“Administrative measures are already being taken. The government will take whatever legal action is necessary,” he said.
Asked about the role of leaders of the Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB), which is linked to those involved in the incident, Muhit said he knew the organisation’s president, a senior physician, personally and did not believe the president or other doctors in the organisation supported such an attack.
He said public statements and reactions could sometimes be interpreted in different ways, but expressed confidence that the organisation’s leaders and their associates did not endorse the incident and would cooperate in addressing it.
The state minister also said the organisation had taken action against the person accused in the incident, removing him from its ranks, and had formally condemned and disowned the attack.
The assault took place around 11am yesterday (28 October) at the IEDCR office in Mohakhali, Dhaka.
Video footage circulated on social media showed eight to nine people entering the director’s office, pulling Zaki from his chair and assaulting him.
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