Woman sent to jail over remarks criticising BNP

A Mymensingh court yesterday sent a woman to jail this afternoon after she allegedly expressed frustration with the BNP government during a Facebook Live session over the theft of electrical wires from her business.

The woman, identified as Sathi Akter, owns a beauty parlour in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh.

Sathi went live twice on Facebook from an account named “Sathi Makeover” at around 2:00pm on Sunday, expressing anger over repeated thefts at her business.

At one point, she said, “I voted for the BNP government, and now I am the sufferer.”

As the videos circulated on social media and tension reportedly escalated, police took her into custody at around 8:30pm on Sunday.

The video triggered angry reactions among local BNP activists and supporters who took position in front of her shop.

In the videos, Sathi said she had been running her business for nearly 14 years but had suffered financial losses following a series of thefts this year. Last month, electrical wires connected to an air conditioner were stolen from one of her shops.

On Sunday morning, she discovered that electrical wires had been cut and stolen from two of her showrooms, while air-conditioner wires were also taken from one of them. She said wires had also been stolen from several nearby shops.

During the Facebook Live sessions, Sathi expressed frustration over her decision to vote for the BNP.

Guljar Ahmed, joint convener of Bhaluka upazila BNP, said party activists were angered by her remarks and, along with locals, went to the scene. Police later went there and brought the situation under control.

Mohammad Zahidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Bhaluka Model Police Station, said Sathi was taken to the police station to maintain law and order.

“No specific complaint has been lodged in connection with the incident so far,” he said.

The OC said the local businesswoman had made the remarks out of frustration over the repeated thefts at her establishment. He added that her comment about voting for the BNP and later suffering losses did not amount to an anti-state statement.

She was produced before a Mymensingh court on Monday afternoon under Section 151, the OC said.

ASM Mustasinur Rahman, court inspector in Mymensingh, said Sathi was produced before the court of Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Sajidul Islam, which sent her to jail.

Contacted, Mymensingh Additional Police Superintendent (Admin) Md Abdullah Al Mamun said if there is any scope for deterioration of law and order, police can arrest a person under Section 151.