A Dhaka court has allowed investigators to question social-media influencer Sumaiya Saiyed for one day at the jail gate in a case filed under Bangladesh’s Pornography Control Act, according to Jago News.
The order was issued on Wednesday, Aug. 19, after the investigation officer sought a three-day remand. Jago News reported that the court instead allowed one day of questioning while keeping Saiyed in jail.
The report identified the case as involving allegations that pornographic content was created, promoted and sold online. The allegations have not been established in court, and the accused remain entitled to due process.
Jago News said Saiyed was arrested on the night of Aug. 11 during a police operation at a residence in Dhaka’s Vatara area. Police later arrested Khaja Saklain Faruk, described in the report as her alleged associate, in the Badda area.
Notun Shomoy separately reported the arrests on Aug. 19 and said the case was filed at Ramna Model Police Station under the Pornography Control Act, 2012. It also reported that investigators had sought remand for the arrested suspects.
Jago News said the case names six accused in total. It reported that investigators were examining devices and financial transactions and were still checking the roles of other people named in the case.
The court’s decision is an investigative order, not a finding of guilt. Further proceedings and evidence will determine how the allegations are handled under Bangladeshi law. No final judgment was reported in the sources reviewed for this article.
