Cumilla Journalist Arrested Following 1 Billion Taka Defamation Suit Filed by BNP Leader

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Police in Cumilla’s Muradnagar have arrested local journalist Mahbub Alam following a defamation lawsuit seeking 1,000 crore taka in damages. Alam, the general secretary of the Muradnagar Upazila Press Club and a veteran contributor to various national and local newspapers, was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon and held for nearly 20 hours before being transferred to court on Thursday.

The legal action stems from a complaint filed on July 7 of last year by Kamal Uddin Bhuiyan, a joint convener of the Muradnagar Upazila BNP unit. In his petition to the Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court, Bhuiyan alleged that Alam published false and politically motivated reports on a Facebook page titled “Muradnagar Live TV.” The lawsuit centers on a June 27 report concerning a rape case, in which Alam identified the accused, Fazar Ali, as a member of the BNP.

Bhuiyan argued that the identification was entirely fabricated and intended to damage the party’s reputation. According to the plaintiff, Fazar Ali has no affiliation with the BNP, with other media outlets identifying him as an associate of the Awami League. The complaint further alleged that Alam’s reports were designed to incite communal tension and had caused the BNP 1,000 crore taka in socio-economic damage.

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Mohammad Anwar Hossain Chowdhury, the officer-in-charge of Muradnagar Police Station, confirmed that the arrest was made pursuant to a standing warrant. He noted that the police were unaware of the suspect’s status as a journalist at the time of the arrest.

This statement has drawn sharp criticism from local and regional media professionals, who expressed disbelief that authorities would remain unaware of the background of such a well-known figure. Supporters and colleagues of Alam condemned the arrest as an act of political harassment and have demanded his immediate release, asserting that his professional standing and long career in the region are well-documented.