A female entrepreneur based in the Bhaluka sub-district of Mymensingh has been granted bail after spending three days in police custody, following public outrage sparked by her viral social media comments criticising a political party.
Sathi Akter, 30, who runs ‘Sathi Beauty Parlour’ located in the Khadija Palace Market within the Square Masterbari area, was granted bail on Wednesday afternoon by Judicial Magistrate Sajidul Islam of the Mymensingh Judicial Magistrate Court. The court approved her bail application upon the execution of a bond valued at 500 Bangladeshi taka.
The incident originated on Sunday, 25 October, when Sathi Akter broadcast two live videos via her Facebook account, titled ‘Sathi Makeover’. The broadcasts, lasting 5 minutes 22 seconds and 8 minutes 8 seconds respectively, were initially intended to voice her distress and frustration over a theft incident at her commercial establishment, where electricity cables belonging to her salon had been stolen.
During the live streams, as her anger intensified regarding the lack of security and local law enforcement response, she expressed sharp criticism over her past voting choices. Her statement containing the remark that she had become a victim despite having voted for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) quickly gathered traction on social media platforms.
The circulating footage triggered immediate friction in the locality. Aggrieved by her public remarks, local activists and supporters associated with the BNP gathered outside her salon on Sunday evening, surrounding the building and demanding accountability for her statements. As tensions mounted in the Square Masterbari area, local authorities intervened to prevent any potential breach of the peace.
At approximately 8:30 PM that evening, officers from the local police station took Sathi Akter into protective custody to defuse the volatile situation. However, the following day, Monday, law enforcement formally placed her under arrest under Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure—a provision allowing police officers to arrest individuals to prevent the commission of cognisable offences. She was subsequently remanded and transferred to judicial custody.
During the scheduled court proceedings on Wednesday at around 12:30 PM, defence counsel Mahtab Uddin Ahmed appeared on behalf of Sathi Akter to petition for her release. Following the legal submissions, the magistrate ordered her release on bail. Court Inspector PSM Mostasinur Rahman confirmed the judicial order, verifying that the necessary documentation was processed promptly to facilitate her immediate release from the court lock-up facilities.
