• Source:JND
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Meghna Alam, a well-known Bangladeshi model, actress, and social activist, has been arrested under Bangladesh's Special Powers Act for allegedly threatening diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia. The arrest has created huge controversy and has raised eyebrows about the use of legal provisions to muzzle people. Alam was arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police for "spreading misinformation" on a foreign diplomat, allegedly to damage Bangladesh's global relations. The diplomat implicated is suspected to be a Saudi Arabian ambassador who had been in a relationship with Alam, according to Alam's family.

Who is Meghna Alam?

Meghna Alam, age 30, gained popularity when she was crowned Miss Earth Bangladesh in 2020. She is the president of the Miss Bangladesh Foundation and the National Director of the Miss Bangladesh Organization. A vocal social and environmental activist, she has worked as a climate change, gender equality, and food security activist since age 12. Her arbitrary detention has shocked most people, with her supporters and human rights activists demanding transparency and legal accountability.

Livestream Arrest Sparks Outcry

Meghna Alam was arrested on April 9 after she live-streamed on Facebook, with people pretending to be police officials breaking into her home in Dhaka. Alam could be heard appealing to the officials in the 12-minute video that she would obey. The livestream stopped suddenly and was subsequently removed from her account, as well as several posts she had previously made accusing a foreign diplomat of threatening her. The video raised abduction fears, particularly after the authorities refused to confirm her detention for almost 24 hours. She was subsequently shifted to Kashimpur Central Jail after a court order for detention for 30 days.

Allegations Against Saudi Diplomat

Meghna's father, Badrul Alam, informed media organizations that his daughter was in a relationship with the then-Saudi ambassador to Dhaka. He explained that Alam turned down a marriage offer from the married diplomat, who has children. "The ambassador and Meghna were in a relationship. She turned down his proposal, and now he is using influence to muzzle her," he accused. These allegations were the core of Alam's tweets, in which she blamed the diplomat for using local police to silence her. No confirmation or denial of the diplomat's name or role has been given by the authorities.

Human Rights Concerns and Legal Loopholes

Amnesty International has decried the arrest and called for her release or charges for internationally identifiable offenses. "We urge the authorities either to charge Meghna with an internationally identifiable crime or release her," the human rights organization said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). Even inside Bangladesh, lawyers have questioned the process used in the arrest of Alam. Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs legal adviser Asif Nazrul conceded at a media briefing that due process could have been breached. "There are some allegations made against her; however, the arrest under the Special Powers Act was not done properly," Nazrul stated.