Why Meghna Alam’s detention not illegal: High Court

The High Court has issued a rule on detention of model Meghna Alam without a warrant, and keeping her in custody at the detective branch office for more than 24 hours.

The rule has sought to know why the arrest warrant issued against Meghna Alam by the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate under the Special Powers Act should not be declared illegal.

The High Court bench comprising Justice Razik Al Jalil and Justice Tamanna Rahman Khalidi passed the order on Sunday after hearing a writ petition.

Meghna Alam's father Badrul Alam filed a writ petition regarding the process of arrest and the validity of the arrest warrant.

Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police on 9 April night detained Meghna from her residence in city’s Basundhara residential area.

As per the order of home ministry, the court on the following day ordered her detention for 30 days. Meghna is now in jail.

The issue of Meghna’s arrest without any specific allegation sparked uproar as she was detained under the controversial Special Powers Act. Amid the controversy, DMP’s additional commissioner (DB) Rezaul Karim Mallik was removed from his post on Saturday.

Meanwhile, law adviser Asif Nazrul today, Sunday said the way Meghna Alam was arrested under the Special Powers Act was not proper.

He was addressing a media conference at the secretariat today, Sunday.

Senior lawyer Sara Hossain represented Meghna on the High Court today.
Home Secretary, Inspector General of Police, DMP Commissioner, Chief of DB, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate and Officer in Charge of Bhatara Police Station have been asked to give reply to the rule within two weeks.