Nurunnisa Siddiqua Demands Immediate Unconditional Release
Jamaat Protests Incarceration of Female Entrepreneur
- Jamaat-e-Islami condemns arrest of Sathi Akter over social media posts
- Terms government and police response as intolerant towards dissent
- Warns against suppressing digital civil liberties in post-2024 era
The Women's Wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has issued a strong protest condemning the imprisonment of 30-year-old female entrepreneur Sathi Akter, who was arrested in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, for expressing grievances regarding state governance and law enforcement on social media. Jamaat-e-Islami Women's Wing Secretary and MP Nurunnisa Siddiqua demanded her immediate and unconditional release.
A press release signed by Mohila Jamaat's Publicity and Media Secretary Najmun Nahar Nilu MP was issued on Wednesday, October 28. Correspondent sources reported that using state machinery to clamp down on digital commentary and citizen expression on social networks raises civil liberty concerns. Relevant authorities stated that safeguarding free speech across digital domains remains paramount.
In her statement, Nurunnisa Siddiqua emphasized that expressing views on online platforms and social networks is a fundamental right within a democratic framework. She noted that citizens hold the right to critique public representatives when expectations are unmet. She described the failure of law enforcement to provide safety to the citizen, and instead making an arrest, as highly regrettable. Mohila Jamaat asserted that the incident demonstrates administrative intolerance, pointing out that rather than focusing on deteriorating security conditions, state mechanisms are targeting women expressing alternative viewpoints across digital networks.
Earlier on Monday, October 26, police produced Sathi Akter before the Mymensingh Chief Judicial Magistrate Court under Section 151, after which Senior Judicial Magistrate Sajedul Islam rejected her bail and ordered her sent to prison. The Jamaat leader warned that attempting to stifle political dissent or restrict digital speech in post-2024 Bangladesh is unacceptable and pledged that attempts to undermine online rights would be resisted alongside general citizens. Experts underscore that maintaining an open, secure digital environment is vital for upholding constitutional freedoms.
//DBTech/PR/SPM/FOE//
