Mentioning that actor Pori Moni was the victim in the recent boat club incident, but has now been turned into the culprit, experts have said the Dhallywood actor has the right to speak to her lawyers and get bail.
They made the remarks at a virtual meeting arranged by the National Committee against Violence against Women and Girls and Social Anomy on Sunday to discuss the recent arrests of several women, including some film actors and models.
On August 5, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Pori Moni in a narcotics case. Her lawyers have applied for bail four times, but to no avail.
Instead, she was remanded for questioning thrice.
Her legal counsels again filed a bail petition on Sunday and Judge KM Emrul Kayesh fixed September 13 for the bail hearing.
Questioning the need for a space of 21 days until the bail hearing, experts who took part in the meeting, including lawyers, activists and judges, opined that the delay until the hearing was a harassment technique.
Presiding over the program, National Committee against Violence against Women and Girls and Social Anomy Chairman Barrister Amir-ul Islam said: “The girl [Pori Moni] was sent to the jail before the verdict, even though she has the right to get bail. We witnessed the same scenario in the case against journalist Rozina Islam.”
Dr Fauzia Moslem, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, said: “Pori Moni has only been accused of a crime. The charges are yet to be proven, but most people are already acting as if she is the culprit. I am doubtful that she will get the right verdict."
Justice Md Nizamul Huq said: “If Pori Moni has been accused in a drugs case, the concern should be that and only that. Why are law enforcement officials focusing on her personal life?”
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Barrister Tania Amir said the entire incident illustrates power imbalance.
"Pori Moni had accused a businessman of attempting to rape and murder her, and he was arrested but soon got out on bail. Soon after his bail, the victim [Pori Moni] turned into the culprit on August 5. If he is granted bail, why not Pori Moni?” she questioned.
Rights activist Advocate Sultana Kamal said law enforcement agencies are not allowing Pori Moni to speak with her lawyers, which is a violation of her constitutional rights.
“The elite force [RAB] talks about the Official Secrets Act, but why do they forget that the constitution also protects an individual’s privacy?” she inquired.
On June 14, Pori Moni filed a case against businessman Nasir U Mahmood and five others, accusing them of attempting to rape and murder her at Dhaka Boat Club on the night of June 8.
Following the filing of the case, police arrested Nasir, who later claimed that Pori Moni and her companions had been in a drunken state on the night in question.
On August 4, RAB raided Pori Moni’s Banani residence and detained her, allegedly recovering bottles of liquor, yaba pills and LSD blots.
RAB brought narcotics charges against Pori Moni and her aide Dipu in a case filed with Banani police station on August 6.