According to information received from various news media, the victim's family, and reliable sources, it has been learned that Kazi Rubayet Hasan Sayem, a 46-year-old member of the Dhaka District Bar Association and former co-organizing secretary of Narayanganj Metropolitan BNP, was arrested on the night of March 24th, around 10 pm. He was apprehended by the Narayanganj District Detective Police (DB) on charges of using offensive language to abuse the mother of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Nation of Bangladesh.
The arrest of Mr. Sayem took place in Paikpara, Narayanganj, based on a video that had circulated on Facebook under the provisions of the Digital Security Act 2018. Subsequently, he was sent to jail by the court on March 26th, Saturday afternoon.
Kazi Rubayet Hasan Sayem is a lawyer at the Dhaka Judge Court and a former co-organizing secretary of the Metropolitan BNP. In a recently published video, it can be seen that Mr. Sayem taunted Bangabandhu's mother in front of onlookers. The video gained attention on social media platforms, leading to anger among Awami League leaders and workers.
Furthermore, Deputy Inspector of District Intelligence Police Tariqul Islam has filed a case against Kazi Rubayet as the plaintiff. The statement of the case alleges that Mr. Sayem, residing in the Paikpara area under Sadar police station, used indecent and offensive language to abuse the mother of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and recorded a video of his actions. This video surfaced on Facebook, ultimately leading to his immediate arrest and the confiscation of his mobile phone.
Despite several attempts, including five bail applications—three in the lawyer court in Narayanganj and two in the High Court Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court—Mr. Sayem's bail plea has been repeatedly rejected. Most recently, on April 26th, the High Court Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court denied his bail application, and he has been in jail custody for the past two months.
Advocate Shahanur Islam, the Founder Secretary General of JusticeMakers Bangladesh and a prominent human rights lawyer, vehemently condemns the fabrication of the case against lawyer Kazi Rubayet Hasan Sayem. He also urges the authorities to ensure that adequate medical healthcare is provided to Mr. Sayem while he remains detained.
Mr. Islam emphasizes that the arrest of Lawyer Sayem is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a larger pattern where the government of Bangladesh is using the repressive Digital Security Act (DSA) of 2018 to suppress its citizens, including lawyers, leading to a severe restriction of freedom of expression. It is distressing to note that in 2022, 61 lawyers were implicated in 23 fabricated criminal cases, while 5 were implicated under the Draconian Digital Security Act, and two of them were arrested and imprisoned for criticizing the activities of the present prime minister and her family members, as well as making comments about the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, on Facebook and social media.
JusticeMakers Bangladesh calls on the government of Bangladesh to uphold human rights, ensure the fair treatment of lawyers and activists, including enacting a Protection of Lawyers Act, and safeguard freedom of expression as enshrined in international conventions and the Constitution of Bangladesh.
Best Regards,
Shahanur Islam
Founder Secretary-General
JusticeMakers Bangladesh
WhatsApp: +33761662163
Email: Saikotbihr@gmail.com
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