Mizanur Rahman Sohel, the Online Editor of Dainik Bhorer Kagoj, was taken to the Detective Branch (DB) office of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) late Tuesday night (18 November). On Wednesday morning, shortly after 10 a.m., he was dropped back home.
Around 10:30 a.m., Mizanur told the media over the phone, “I came home after almost 10 hours. DB brought me back home. I am in good health.”
Shafiqul Islam, Additional Commissioner of DMP’s Detective Branch, said, “Mizanur was brought in last night to talk about a certain matter. Afterwards, we dropped him home.” However, he did not disclose the topic discussed.
When asked, Mizanur told the media that the Mobile Business Community Bangladesh had announced a press conference regarding the concerns and next steps of mobile handset traders following the implementation of the National Equipment Identification Registrar (NEIR) on December 16. He is involved with the organizers of that event.
According to him, DB officers questioned him about that press conference. From the conversation, he felt the officers—apparently on instructions from “higher authorities”—did not want the press conference to take place. He said he was subjected to a form of psychological pressure.
Mizanur is also the General Secretary of the Online Editors Alliance, a platform of heads of online editions of newspapers and TV channels. He was taken from his home in Badda around midnight on Tuesday. At the time, his family alleged that individuals identifying themselves as DB officers detained him.
The incident drew media attention as reports were published about his alleged detention, sparking widespread discussion and criticism on social media.