On Wednesday, April 9, 2025, Meghna Alam, former Miss Earth Bangladesh and current chairperson of the Miss Bangladesh Foundation, was forcibly taken from her home by members of the Detective Branch, citing the draconian Special Powers Act of 1974. For nearly 24 hours, law enforcement denied knowledge of her whereabouts. Only later did they admit she was in their custody, accusing her of posing a threat to “public safety and law and order” for her criticism of the Saudi Ambassador.
The Special Powers Act has long been weaponized to silence dissent, allowing indefinite detention without arrest warrants or due process. The video Meghna Alam posted on Facebook, showing law enforcement violently entering her home, is a chilling reminder of how state power is used to intimidate and punish citizens who speak out.
Bangladesh Feminist Archives strongly condemns this unlawful and violent act. We demand Meghna Alam’s immediate and unconditional release. The Special Powers Act must be repealed. If the promises of the July Uprising are to mean anything, they must include the right to life, liberty, and dissent rights that are incompatible with this law.
Bangladesh Feminist Archives 