Bhaluka police said they found no anti-government remarks in Sathi Akter’s videos.
Police take a woman into custody in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka last night (25 October), following tensions over alleged derogatory remarks on Facebook. Photo: Courtesy
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Police take a woman into custody in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka last night (25 October), following tensions over alleged derogatory remarks on Facebook. Photo: Courtesy
Police arrested a woman in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka after her Facebook Live videos, in which she said people were suffering despite voting for the BNP government, triggered protests by local party leaders and activists.
Sathi Akter, 30, owner of Sathi Beauty Parlour at Khadija Palace Market in the Square Masterbari area of Bhaluka upazila, was taken into police custody around 8:30pm yesterday (25 October), reports Prothom Alo.
Police later showed her arrested under Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and produced her before the Mymensingh Chief Judicial Magistrate Court today (26 October).
However, police said they found no anti-government remarks in the videos after reviewing the footage.
Mohammad Zahidul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bhaluka Model Police Station, said he had watched the full videos four times and found no remarks against the government or criticism of its policies.
He said Sathi’s comments fell within her freedom of expression, adding that the incident had escalated because of rumours spread by people who had not watched the videos in full.
According to the OC, several traders at the market approached Sathi after the videos circulated, but she behaved aggressively towards them, creating a tense situation. Police arrested her under Section 151 to prevent further trouble, he added.
The traders later assured her that she would face no problems operating her business after securing bail, the OC said.
At around 2pm on 25 October, Sathi posted two live videos on her Facebook account, “Sathi Makeover”. The videos, lasting 5 minutes and 22 seconds and 8 minutes and 8 seconds, showed her expressing anger over a theft at her business establishment.
At one point, she said, “We voted for the BNP government, and now we are suffering.”
After the videos spread online, local BNP leaders and activists gathered outside her business and demanded justice, triggering tension in the area.
Mymensingh court inspector Mustasinur Rahman said Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure allows police to take preventive action when they suspect someone is planning to commit a cognisable offence and believe an arrest is necessary to prevent it.
Police initiate legal proceedings in such cases, he said.
The court will decide whether to grant Sathi bail after reviewing the forwarding report submitted by police, the court inspector added.
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