Actress and former Miss Earth Bangladesh winner Meghna Alam has been detained under the Special Powers Act (SPA) following an appeal from the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sefatullah approved the detention on Wednesday night (10 April), citing a need to prevent her from engaging in activities deemed a threat to public safety and law and order under Section 2(f) of the SPA.
Meghna, also chairperson of the Miss Bangladesh Foundation, was subsequently transferred to Kashimpur Central Jail to serve a 30-day detention under Section 3(1) of the Act. Under the SPA, the government can detain individuals without formal charges or trial for a specified period, ostensibly in the interest of national security.
The incident follows a now-deleted Facebook Live broadcast by Meghna on Wednesday evening, during which she alleged that individuals claiming to be police forcibly entered her home. The 12-minute stream was abruptly cut off during the alleged intrusion. Shortly after, rumours spread that she had been abducted—rumours the DMP later clarified, confirming she was in police custody. The DMP further claimed all legal procedures had been followed and noted that Meghna retains the right to legal counsel.
However, the circumstances surrounding her detention have sparked concern. Investigative journalist David Bergman commented that her arrest highlights deeper systemic issues, stating:
"A crucial test of this government in Bangladesh is not just to stop the law enforcement authorities making these kinds of arrests, but when they do happen, to quickly correct itself and release the person detained."
Bergman further criticized the legal basis for the detention:
"Meghna Alam is being detained under the Special Powers Act, a particularly draconian law which allows detention initially for 30 days without the need to provide any evidence of a crime. The reason for her detention? This is unclear, but it appears to be to avoid embarrassment within the Saudi Arabian embassy - clearly not a legitimate reason for detention."
He also raised serious concerns about procedural irregularities:
"Moreover, as far as I can gather, though I have not been able to independently confirm:
- She was detained for over 24 hours before being brought to the magistrate court.
- The detective branch denied she was in its custody before finally admitting it.
- After she was detained, the police/enforcement authorities returned to the house and removed the CCTV footage of the detention."
Before her arrest, Meghna had posted on Facebook alleging that a foreign diplomat was exerting pressure on Bangladeshi police to target individuals associated with her and had threatened her against exposing certain truths. These posts have also since been deleted.
Meghna Alam rose to prominence after winning the Miss Earth Bangladesh title on 5 October 2020. She earned recognition for championing environmental sustainability—particularly through projects converting discarded plastics into usable goods—and for empowering women through entrepreneurship.
As public scrutiny over the incident intensifies, rights groups and legal experts have called for transparency and adherence to due process in Meghna's case, warning against the misuse of national security laws to suppress dissent or cover up misconduct.
