April 20, 2025
Subject: Concern over unlawful detention of Meghna Alam and calling for action due to violation of constitutional rights, contempt of court and demand immediate action.
Honorable,
We send this letter with grave concern in regard to a recent incident. Meghna Alam, a Bangladeshi citizen, was detained on 9 April 2025 by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and officials of Vatara Police Station, violating her fundamental rights and disobeying court orders.
Meghna Alam’s arrest was revealed through a Facebook Live video on Wednesday 9th April, where it appeared that a group of armed men were attempting to forcibly enter her house under the pretext of verifying her birth certificate. When Meghna refused/declined to open the door, they forcibly entered with an arrest warrant, seized her personal devices and detained her without giving any reason or stating why and where she is being taken.
Immediately after watching the facebook live, a feminist group named Narir Shohingshotar Birudde Narira went to the location to investigate and discovered that approximately 30 officers from various law enforcement agencies had been deployed to detain Meghna Alam. According to the landlord, guard and neighbours, they did not show their identification to anyone but rather threatened them to comply. After a while they came back and even confiscated the building’s CCTV hard drive.
On the night of April 9, upon arriving at Vatara Police Station, the feminist investigators learnt that Meghna Alam was in the custody of the DB, and the police station refused to file a GD regarding Meghna’s detention. And when the feminist investigators visited the DB office, the officers denied Meghna’s detention. Despite persistent enquiries from the feminist group, the DB provided no answers and instead directed them to contact officials by obtaining phone numbers from the website. However, when called, those phone numbers were found to be switched off.
After nearly 24 hours of uncertainty, on 10 April 2025, according to social media and news media sources, Meghna Alam was produced in court at 10:30 am on that day and charged with “threatening national security”, “damaging diplomatic relations” and “conspiring to harm the country’s economy” and sent to Kashimpur jail for 30 days under the Special Powers Act, 1974.
According to DMP social media posts and media reports, it was stated that Meghna Alam is in “safe custody”. However, as per the law, except for cases of violence against women, if a person does not apply for custody for the sake of her safety, then there is no scope for such custody.
Since then this instance sparked conversations and criticism regarding the violation of constitutional rights and due process. This gained a lot of attention from various human rights organisations, civil society and media.
On April 13, a division bench of the High Court issued a rule directing the government to explain within two weeks why the detention process of Meghna Alam under the Special Powers Act should not be declared illegal and why she should not be released. However, a few days later, on April 17, media reports revealed that Meghna Alam had been arrested in a new case filed with Dhanmondi Station, accusing her of extortion and cheating. Neither Meghna Alam’s family nor her lawyers were present at the time, they were not given any opportunity to attend.
It is to be noted that Meghna Alam’s family got the opportunity to meet after seven days – since this law has a strong restriction on meeting – without the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Meanwhile, Meghna’s younger sisters have been receiving threats over the phone and through social media.
This instance raises questions about grave abuses of fundamental rights and contempt of court, especially in light of the following:
- Violation of 27, 31, 32, and 33 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, which guarantee due process, personal liberty, and legal protection in cases of arrest;
- Bangladesh and others vs. Blast & Others (69 DLR (AD) (2017) Contempt of Supreme Court directions in 63 cases, which prohibited arbitrary arrest and laid down strict procedures for arrests without a warrant;
- Misuse of the Awami League government’s draconian and controversial law “Special Powers Act, 1974”, which has been used to suppress expressions and persecute opponents.
We demand a clear explanation and a full investigation from the government immediately:
- Why was the repressive process of first detaining and then showing arrest followed?
- Who ordered this detention?
- Why were thirty officers assigned to detain a single individual while instability persists throughout the nation?
- Based on what investigation was she deemed a threat to national security?
- Whether proper legal procedures were followed in the case of detention?
- What measures have been taken to ensure her safety in custody?
- Whether this incident violates the Supreme Court’s directions?
We demand:
- Immediate release of Meghna Alam.
- A fair, transparent, impartial and independent inquiry to determine/identify who detained her and for what reasons. Identify and charge any individuals found to be in breach.
Notably, we reserve the right to take necessary legal measures within our courts and with international/UN human rights organisations if no action is taken in this regard.
Sincerely,
- Tabassum Mehenaz, Barrister-at-Law, Human Rights Lawyer and Activist
- Ishrat Jahan Prachy, Human Rights Lawyer and Activist
- Parsa Sanjana Sajid, Writer, researcher, curator
- Nasrin Siraj, Anthropologist and Filmmaker
- Mirza Taslima Sultana, Professor, Dhaka University
- Mushida Sultana, Teacher, Dhaka University
- Nazneen Shifa, Teacher, IUB
- Jinat Ara Haq, ED, Amrai Pari Network
- Saydia Gulrukh, Journalist
- Farzana Wahid Shayan, Singer and Songwriter
- Amina Sultana Sonia, Activist and Development Worker
- Nazifa Khanom Tisha, Theatre Activist
- Paddmini Chakma, Photographer
- Ayela Amin, Artist
- Audhora Madhuri, Researcher and Activist
- Adiba Raisa, Development Professional
- Sayeda Nur-e- Rayhan, Independent Contractor
- Arunima Tahsin, Researcher and Activist
- Sumi Anjum, Visual Artist
- Kabya Krittika, Researcher and Teacher
- Sahela Umama Akter, Visual Artist
- Wasema Farzana, Aspiring Anthropologist and Social Activist
- Dilshad Swaty, Researcher and Anthropologist
- Shejuti Maksurat, Lecturer, Independent University Bangladesh
- Antara Farnaz Khan, Organiser, Arodhyo Foundation
- Trishia Nashtaran, Feminist Organiser and Futurist
- Mahima Chowdhury, Student, Team Leader, Orodhyo Foundation
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