Buet Student Alleges Police Brutality During Shahbagh Protest, DMP Claims Photo is AI-Generated

Dhaka, August 29, 2025 – Rafid Zaman Khan, a third-year Electrical and Electronic Engineering student at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), has recounted a violent encounter with police during a peaceful student protest in Shahbagh on August 27. Speaking to *The Daily Star*, Rafid described how he was beaten and injured by law enforcement officers while demonstrating near the InterContinental Hotel.

According to Rafid, the students were protesting peacefully, with many sitting down to signal non-confrontation. However, police deployed sound grenades, tear gas, and water cannons to disperse the crowd. "When the water cannon hit me, I became disoriented. Then the police rushed forward and started beating me. I was hit from behind, from the front, with batons and helmets," Rafid said. He reported a blow to his neck that caused him to collapse.

Rafid, whose glasses fell off during the attack, struggled to identify his assailants due to blurred vision from the water cannon. However, after reviewing video footage, he identified Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Deputy Commissioner Md Masud Alam as one of the officers who pushed him down. "At least six to seven policemen assaulted me. Some kicked me with boots, some hit me with helmets," he added, describing the treatment as "highly unprofessional" and disproportionate. Following the assault, Rafid was rescued by fellow students and received primary treatment at Buet Medical Centre. The next day, he visited Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where X-rays confirmed no fractures, though he continues to experience pain and is under medication. Rafid noted that other students sustained more severe injuries. A photograph capturing DC Masud Alam pressing his hand over a student’s mouth went viral on social media and was published by multiple media outlets, including a shot by *The Daily Star* photographer Orchid Chakma. However, DMP issued a statement yesterday claiming the image was AI-generated. *The Daily Star*, along with fact-checking organizations Rumour Scanner and Dismislab, refuted this claim, confirming the authenticity of the photo. Rafid also asserted, "The student seen in the photo is me. This is by no means AI-generated." Expressing concern for his safety, Rafid requested that his personal details remain undisclosed but emphasized the need for accountability. "The way law enforcement treated us must be addressed. Rules of engagement exist, but what happened to us was not acceptable. We want accountability so no student or citizen faces this kind of violence again," he said.