Why Bangladesh arrested a model for 'threatening' diplomatic ties

Bangladesh has arrested a model – for ‘threatening diplomatic ties’ with Saudi Arabia, according to several media reports.

Meghna Alam, a Bangladeshi model and actress, was arrested by the Dhaka police last week.

Alam has been detained under the Special Powers Act.

But what happened? What do we know about Alam’s claims?

Let’s take a closer look:

What happened?

Alam, who won the Miss Earth Bangladesh 2020 contest and is the chairman of the Miss Bangladesh Foundation, was arrested by the police on April 9,  as per Hindustan Times.

The police claimed Alam allegedly posed a “threat to public safety, law, and order.”

She was detained by the cops under the Special Powers Act, 1974.

The Act, also known as the Preventive Detention Law, allows people to be held without a trial and for an indefinite period.

As per Daily Star, under Section 3(2) of the Act a district magistrate or additional district magistrate can order someone detained whose actions threaten national security, public safety, or public order, incite hatred between communities or groups, interfere with law enforcement, disrupt essential supplies or services, spread fear or alarm, or harm the country’s economic or financial interests.

The police said she was arrested for ‘falsely accusing important individuals’  with an intent to threaten Bangladesh’s diplomatic ties.

“These important individuals are foreign nationals,” AFP news agency quoted police spokesperson Muhammad Talebur Rahman as saying.

The court has sent Alam to Kashimpur jail in Dhaka.

It ordered her detained for 30 days.

What do we know about her claims?

As per The Daily Star, Alam was arrested after alleging she had an affair with a Saudi diplomat.

She claimed the diplomat was now trying to silence her – with help from the Bangladesh authorities.

Alam prior to her arrest put up several posts  on Facebook claiming that the diplomat – a married man – had an affair with her.

Those posts have now been deleted.

However, Alam’s father Badrul has backed up her claims.

Dawn quoted Badrul as saying she was in a relationship with the previous Saudi ambassador to Dhaka.

“The ambassador and Meghna were in a relationship, and my daughter refused his marriage proposal because he already has a wife and children,” he said.

Badrul said his daughter contacted the man’s wife and broke off the relationship.

“I have heard that the diplomat contacted the home ministry. On Thursday night, the Detective Branch told me that the home ministry instructed law enforcers to take action under the Special Powers Act,” Badrul told the Daily Star.

But that’s not all.

The manner of Alam’s arrest has also caused controversy.

As per Hindustan Times, Alam before her arrest also appeared on a live stream on her Facebook page.

Alam alerted the viewers that some people who claimed to be policemen were at her doorstep.

The 12-minute footage shows Alam telling the men ‘carrying firearms’ to leave.

She said she would go to the police station and cooperate.

The footage, which was abruptly cut off, shows these individuals breaking into Alam’s flat and taking her phone.

The video was also later deleted – along with Alam’s earlier posts.

Additional Commissioner Rezaul Karim Mallik told the Daily Star a man named Sameer was also detained “in this connection.”

He has reportedly been charged with blackmailing a foreign diplomat.

Dawn quoted Asif Nazrul, adviser to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, as saying that proper procedures were not observed during Alam’s arrest

“There are some allegations against her; however, the arrest under the Special Powers Act was not carried out properly,” Nazrul said.

“Her detention was approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs. A high-level meeting involving senior government officials has been held in this regard. We are aware of the comments made by various human rights activists concerning the incident. The police are currently investigating the matter,” Asif Nazrul added.

Nazrul however did not say the law should be abolished.

“There should be no repressive laws. We can easily repeal any law if we wish. However, there are political considerations. We don’t want to take such a hasty decision where a law is repealed today and political parties don’t support it tomorrow,” Nazrul said.

Many including Amnesty International South Asia have criticized Alam’s arrest.

“The draconian legislation, with vague, overbroad provisions, has historically been used to arbitrarily detain people for long periods of time, without charge, and without judicial oversight. These all constitute gross violations of due process safeguards and international human rights standards and best practices,” Amnesty wrote on X.

“As per media reports, Meghna’s detention was shrouded in secrecy, and was allegedly carried out without a warrant, which are considered to be an alarming violation of procedural safeguards.”

“We call on the authorities to either charge Meghna with an internationally recognizable crime or release her. They must also end the use of and repeal the Special Powers Act.”

With inputs from agencies