Mother released on bail 8 days after being arrested following son's Facebook post

Fifty-eight-year-old Anisha Siddika, who was detained following her expat son's Facebook post criticising the trial and conviction of war criminal Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, has been released on bail after serving eight days in prison.

Anisha Siddika walked out of Khulna District Jail on Monday evening, following the bail granted by Additional Metropolitan Session Judge SM Ashiqur Rahman on Sunday.

Earlier on 20 August, she was arrested from her father's house on Boyra Haji Faiz Uddin Road in Khulna city.

Regarding the arrest, Khalishpur police station OC Monirul Ghiyas said a total of three people, including Anisha Siddika, who had allegedly gathered for a sabotage plot, have been arrested.

According to the first information report (FIR) of the case, Anisha Siddika was arrested on 20 August under Section 15(3) ('sabotage') and Section 25(D) ('penalty for attempt') of the Special Powers Act 1974.

The FIR states that the investigation found Anisha had "colluded" with the other defendants to carry out "various harmful acts with the intention of causing deliberate sabotage against the government," as a protest against the arrests of leaders of Jamaat, an opposition political party in Bangladesh.

However, her son, Tanjilur Rahman, currently pursuing a PhD at Michigan University in the United States, complained that the police, members of the Awami League and Juba League had ransacked his uncle's house due to his Facebook post about Delaware Hossain Sayeedi. Anisha Siddika was arrested by the police for going there and protesting against the vandalism.

The news of the mother's arrest, shared on her son's Facebook status, caused a storm of criticism both within the country and abroad.

International human rights organisations also demanded the release of Anisha Siddika. Furthermore, the US Embassy shared the news on Monday morning.

Anisha Siddika's lawyer Monirul Islam Panna told The Business Standard that the first bail application was submitted to the Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on 22 August; however, the bail was denied.

On 24 August, the court rejected the bail application once again.

Subsequently, on 27 August, another bail application was presented to the Khulna Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court. Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge SM Ashiqur Rahman held the bail hearing on 28 August. Considering her age and absence of any other cases against her, he granted her bail. 

Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Iqbal Hossain represented the state during the hearing.

Alamgir Shikder, Anisha Siddika's husband, stated that she was released from jail in the evening, but her physical condition has significantly deteriorated.