A Gazipur court on Monday granted bail to Rakib Sarker, husband of actress Mahiya Mahi, in a case filed under the Digital Security Act, reports news agency UNB.
Gazipur metropolitan magistrate Niaz Makhdum passed the order after hearing the bail petition filed by Rakib Sarker’ lawyer on Monday. Actress Mahiya Mahi was with her husband during the hearing in the court.
Rakib Sarker returned home from Saudi Arabia on Sunday morning. Later, he appeared before the Gazipur court on Monday and filed a petition seeking bail in two cases.
The bail will remain in force until the police submit a report in this regard before the court. The court also fixed 24 April as the date for next hearing in the case filed under DSA.
Earlier, on Saturday, a Gazipur court granted bail to actress Mahiya Mahi, hours after she was arrested from Dhaka airport in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA).
Rokon Mia, sub-inspector of Bason police station, filed the case under the Digital Security Act against Mahiya Mahi and her husband Rakib Sarker on Friday night on charge of “defaming police” after going live on Facebook.
The actress was arrested from the airport upon her arrival from Saudi Arabia. However, her husband Rakib Sarker, also an accused in the case, did not return with her. Later, a Gazipur court sent her to jail.
Meanwhile, Ismail Hossain, a businessman, filed another case with Bason Police Station against 28 people including the couple on charges of assault, vandalism and land grabbing.
According to the case statement, Mahiya Mahi, from her Facebook page, went live early Friday — making allegations against police.
During the live session, she said Ismail Hossain and Mamun Sarkar, through their people, carried out an attack on a car showroom owned by Mahiya Mahi, on Dhaka-Tangail highway near Bhawal Badre Alam Government College.
The actress and her husband also alleged that the Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) commissioner “supported the attackers” after taking bribes.
She also said she feared getting arrested after returning to the country from Mecca. During the Facebook live, Mahiya Mahi’s husband Rakib alleged that police arrested security guards of the car showroom.
Meanwhile, Ismail Hossain, owner of Rod Binding Factory in Itahata area of Gazipur city and plaintiff of a case, in his complaint said he has been running a factory in the area for the past 10 years after purchasing land there.
On Friday, some people on behalf of Rakib and Mahiya attacked and vandalised the factory, he said. They also beat up five people at the factory, leaving them injured, while trying to occupy the land, according to the complaint.