Man Who Offered Cow to Khaleda Zia Arrested

Sohag Mridha, a resident of Mirzaganj Upazila in Patuakhali who previously drew public attention for offering a cow named ‘Kalo Manik’ as a gift to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, has been arrested by the police. The arrest was officially confirmed by Md. Tohiduzzaman, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mirzaganj Police Station.

Mridha, a resident of Uttar Jhatibunia village within the upazila, was apprehended on Sunday, 14 June. Following his arrest, he was produced before the court, which subsequently ordered him to be remanded in custody. Due to his current detention, no statement could be obtained from Mridha regarding the allegations.

Legal Charges and Police Statement

According to police sources, Sohag Mridha faces charges in connection with two separate lawsuits. The first is an assault case in which he is named as the primary accused (Accused Number One) in the First Information Report (FIR). The second is a case filed under the Pornography Control Act, where he is accused of being an accomplice. The law enforcement authorities executed the arrest based on these ongoing legal complaints.

Officer-in-Charge Md. Tohiduzzaman stated to the media that the suspect was taken into custody specifically for his involvement in the assault and pornography law cases. He added that the police completed the necessary administrative formalities on Sunday before transferring the suspect to the relevant court for judicial proceedings.

Profile of the Suspect and Legal Status

Background of the ‘Kalo Manik’ Gift Offer

The suspect initially gained prominence last year when he expressed his desire to present his bull, named ‘Kalo Manik’, to Begum Khaleda Zia. The BNP Chairperson initially accepted the gesture. However, after taking the financial circumstances and economic stability of Mridha’s family into consideration, she subsequently returned the animal to him, advising that it be used for the family’s welfare. Following its return, Mridha kept the animal until he eventually sold it during the recent Eid-ul-Adha cattle market season.