Journalist Mizanur released after 10 hours in DB custody

Bangla Press Desk:   Journalist Mizanur Rahman Sohel, who was taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) late Tuesday night, has been released after being held for nearly ten and a half hours. 

In a Facebook post, Mizanur said that DB officials returned him home “with respect” on Wednesday morning.

According to his Facebook post, around midnight, 5–6 DB members arrived at his residence and informed him that the DB chief wished to speak with him. He was then forcibly taken from his home. Upon arrival at the DB office, his name was reportedly entered into the detainees’ register, and he was asked to remove his shoes and belt before being placed in a cell with other detainees.

The journalist said that neither the officials who picked him up nor the senior officers present could explain the reason for his detention.

“I had no idea why I was detained, and neither did the officers,” he said.

He claimed that after several hours in custody, he came to understand that the move was allegedly linked to efforts to benefit a small group of nine mobile phone traders. According to him, a government adviser had influenced the action to secure a monopoly advantage for these traders.

He also reported that Abu Saeed Piyas, secretary of the relevant business organization, was detained alongside him and remains in DB custody.

Today (Wednesday), Business Community Bangladesh (MBCB), an association of mobile handset traders, was scheduled to hold a press conference at the DRU regarding the National Equipment Identification Register (NEIR). I was serving as their media consultant. Their main target was to stop that press conference. But ironically, the very attempt to stop it has made the entire country aware of their motives.

NEIR is clearly contradictory to the country’s free-trade policy. There is even a Competition Commission to ensure market competition. Yet a deep conspiracy is underway to benefit just nine traders while putting 25,000 mobile phone sellers across the country at risk. If this project is implemented, ordinary rural people, expatriates, and many others will suffer. The entire supply chain will collapse. Many traders will lose their livelihoods. It’s worth noting that one of these nine traders is a school friend of that adviser.

Why is the government afraid when someone speaks against a business syndicate? Was it really necessary to forcibly pick me up in the middle of the night just to stop a press conference? Those who preach “freedom of speech” — are they the ones who tried to silence me this way? Is this the real picture of freedom of expression in this so-called land of justice?

As soon as news of my detention became public, many well-wishers, brothers, friends, and colleagues became worried. Many made inquiries, posted on social media, issued statements, and published news reports. I believe it is because of their support and their voices that I was released quickly. I am deeply grateful to everyone who stood by me.

BP/SP