Staff Reporter :
A group of 27 distinguished Bangladeshi women, including lawyers, academics, artists, and researchers, have expressed deep concern over the recent arrest of model Meghna Alam. In a memorandum sent on Sunday (April 20) to Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, they demanded her immediate release and a full investigation into the circumstances of her arrest.
According to the memorandum, Meghna Alam was detained on April 9 from her residence in Dhaka without a warrant. The operation was reportedly conducted by around 30 police and intelligence officials while she was live on Facebook. She was presented before a court almost 24 hours later and subsequently sent to Kashimpur Jail on charges of posing a “threat to national security,” “damaging diplomatic relations,” and “conspiring to harm the economy.”
The signatories alleged that the manner of her arrest constituted a violation of her fundamental human rights. “This incident raises serious questions about the state’s treatment of a female citizen,” the memorandum read. “Who ordered this arrest? Why were so many officials deployed? On what basis was Meghna identified as a national security threat?”
They further questioned the necessity of deploying such a large force for arresting a single woman, especially at a time when general insecurity is widespread across the country.
Among the signatories were prominent lawyer Ishrat Jahan, advocate Tabassum Mehenaz, Professor Mirza Taslima Sultana of Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka University faculty member Moshaheda Sultana, anthropologist and filmmaker Nasreen Siraj, singer Farzana Wahid Sayan, photographer Padmini Chakma, and writer-researcher Parsa Sanjana, among others.
In addition to demanding Meghna’s release, the women called on the state to ensure her safety and provide clear answers and accountability regarding the incident.
