DHAKA, May 30: The High Court on Tuesday ordered three police officials to appear before it and explain torture on three journalists who had been covering a demonstration by students of a polytechnic institute at Agargaon.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police's (DMP) Tejgaon Zone Assistant Commissioner Shahidul Islam, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (Investigation) Kabir Hossain and its Officer-in-Charge Zakir Hossain on June 5 will have to explain their involvement with the incident.

OC Zakir will also have to explain why he did not accept a case over the incident on May 26.

The court also asked why legal action against the three police officials would not be taken, why the case should not be accepted and why those involved with the attack would not compensate the victims.

The trio along with the Home Secretary and the Inspector General of Police were asked to respond within three weeks.

The bench of A H M Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Zahangir Hossain issued the order and rules following a writ petition filed by Advocate Manzill Murshid on behalf of Law Reporters Forum General Secretary Mashhudul Haque.

The court also asked the Law Secretary to form a commission headed by a Deputy Secretary level official to investigate the incident. The report will have to be submitted within July 15.

On Saturday, some police personnel assaulted three photo journalists of Bengali daily Prothom Alo, who were taking photos of students of Dhaka Mohila Polytechnic Institute during a demonstration.

Ten policemen were suspended after the incident. Police also formed a one-member committee, headed by DMP Joint Commissioner Shahabuddin Qureshi to investigate the incident.