Bhaluka businesswoman granted bail after Facebook Live arrest

Hanufa Akter Sathi, a 30-year-old business owner in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, has been granted bail by a local court following her arrest on Sunday. Sathi, who operates ‘Sathi Beauty Parlour’, was detained after two Facebook Live videos surfaced in which she expressed frustration over the theft of electrical wires from her business premises.

The videos triggered local tension after she was heard saying, ‘I voted for the BNP government, and now I am the one suffering.’ This led to protests and a gathering of approximately 150 to 200 local BNP activists outside her shop, demanding action against her.

Police stated the arrest under Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure was a preventive measure to maintain law and order and avert potential violence. Bhaluka Model Police Station officials noted that upon reviewing the full videos, they found no anti-government remarks or content that violated freedom of speech, suggesting the controversy stemmed from rumors caused by people not watching the complete broadcasts.