Mizanur Rahman Sohel, Online Head of Dainik Bhorer Kagoj and Secretary of the Online Editors’ Alliance, has alleged that he was detained on the instructions of a government adviser.
In a post from his verified Facebook account on Wednesday (19 November), Sohel said he was kept in DB custody for nearly 10 hours without any charges. He wrote that around midnight on Tuesday, 5–6 DB officers forcibly picked him up from his home, saying the DB chief wanted to speak with him. At the DB office, his name was entered as an accused, and he was kept in a cell with other detainees—yet no one could explain why he had been arrested.
Sohel claimed that a government adviser ordered his detention to help only nine mobile phone traders establish a monopoly in the market. He added that Abu Saeed Piyas, Secretary of the Online Editors’ Alliance, was also detained and remains in DB custody.
A press conference by Business Community Bangladesh (MBCB) on the National Equipment Identity Register (NEIR) was scheduled to be held on Wednesday at the DRU. Sohel was the media consultant for the event. According to him, the main intention behind his detention was to stop that press conference.
In his post, he wrote that NEIR contradicts the country’s free-market policy and the objectives of the Competition Commission. He alleged that a deep conspiracy is underway to destroy the livelihoods of 25,000 mobile phone traders across the country for the benefit of only nine businessmen. This, he warned, would severely affect general people, especially rural consumers and expatriates. He also claimed that one of these nine businessmen is a school friend of the adviser involved.
Sohel questioned, “Why does the government fear when someone speaks against a business syndicate? Did they really need to pick me up in the middle of the night just to stop a press conference?”
He added that he believes he was released quickly because many colleagues, well-wishers, and friends raised their voices on social media and in the news after learning about his detention.
Notably, Sohel was picked up from the New Badda area of the capital on Tuesday night.
