What Hero Alom writes in bond of 'apology'

The detective branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) summoned Ashraful Alom, alias Hero Alom, on 27 July to interrogate him on charges of some allegations – which drew flak from all quarters across the country.

Some international media, including BBC and AFP, ran reports over the matter.

But the police and home minister Asaduzzaman Khan claimed he was neither detained nor arrested. Alom was summoned for questioning over some specific allegations.

However, Hero Alom alleged police picked him up on 27 July and detained him for eight hours. They (police) said he looks ugly and how he brands himself as an actor.

They asked him to drop 'Hero' from his name. Later, he had to sign a bond of 'apology' that he would not sing Rabindra sangeet (song) and Nazrul sangeet any more.

The bond signed by Hero Alom reads, "I, Ashraful Hossain alias Hero Alom, will refrain from making defamatory video contents, including any obscene comedy, audio-video song, distortion of culture or language, denigration or misrepresentation of any particular profession or dress, in movies or other social media platforms."

"I will take initiative to remove all of my audio and video contents, related to above mentioned issues, from my social media account and video sharing platform. In the future, I will not commit any offence prohibited under the Digital Security Act 2018 or the existing laws of Bangladesh. Any kind of legal action can be taken against me if I involve in such unlawful activities”.

"I will be compelled to appear at the detective branch (DB) office at any time and under any circumstance if DB police summons me. I have given a bond to DB cyber and special crime department, crime-investigation team and DMP-Dhaka in my conscious mind, without any provocation."

The bond also contained a signature of a person namely Md Mahbub.

When asked, home minister Asaduzzanman Khan Kamal told Prothom Alo that Hero Alom was neither arrested nor detained. People who are spreading this are telling lie. There are some specific allegations against him, which is the reason why he was summoned and interrogated.

He was asked to refrain from misrepresenting anyone. Apart from this, Hero Alom was asked to abiding by the rules while using the uniforms of special forces, the home home minister added.

Earlier, a legal notice was served to Hero Alom for misrepresenting various songs, including a Rabindra sangeet titled 'Amro Porano Jaha Chay', to social media in forms of music video.