Child Slapped While Crying as Her Arrested Father Taken Away in Geneva Camp

A video showing a young girl being slapped while crying as her father was being arrested in Geneva Camp, Mohammadpur, Dhaka, has gone viral on social media. The footage sparked widespread criticism. In response, police stated that none of their members slapped the child and confirmed that the incident is being seriously investigated.

The video shows police detaining a man while his seven- or eight-year-old daughter cries and clings to him. At one point, someone nearby slaps the child across the face, causing her to cry even louder. She is then forcibly separated from her father.

Following the video’s circulation, many people on Facebook condemned the act. One user wrote, “Such behavior towards a child is completely unacceptable.” Another commented, “The person who slapped the child must not be a father himself.”

According to investigations, a clash between two drug-dealing groups in Geneva Camp on Thursday morning led to the death of a young man named Md. Zahid. Later that night, police conducted a raid and arrested several individuals. One of the suspects, Rustam—whose daughter appeared in the video—was detained in connection with Zahid’s murder case.

Mohammadpur Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge (Operations) Mofiz Uddin, who was present during the operation, said, “I was behind Rustam and then pulled him forward. There were many civilians along with police officers at the scene. In the scuffle, I couldn’t see who actually slapped the child.”

Assistant Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Tejgaon Division Jewel Rana stated, “We have reviewed the video. The child approached her father during the arrest, and someone slapped her. We are investigating the matter seriously.”

Khabarwala/TSN