Former NCP Leader Salahuddin Tanvir Arrested Over Facebook Post on PM

Gazi Salahuddin Tanvir, a recently expelled leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has been arrested in Dhaka in connection with a case filed under the Cyber Security Act over an allegedly offensive Facebook post concerning Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Bogura Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ibrahim Ali confirmed the arrest, saying Tanvir was detained on Tuesday night and is being taken to Bogura as part of the legal proceedings. He said further details would be shared during a press briefing.

The case was lodged on Sunday night by Maftun Ahmed Khan Rubel, president of the Bogura Sadar Upazila unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

According to the complaint, the Facebook post defamed the prime minister and sought to create public confusion and incite unrest. It states that the case was filed after several BNP leaders and activists came across the post and discussed the matter with senior party officials.

On Friday, Tanvir published a Facebook post alleging that leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal were behind attacks and disruptions during the NCP's march programmes in several districts of Sylhet Division. Authorities claim the post also included offensive remarks about the prime minister.

Although Tanvir later deleted the post following criticism, screenshots had already spread widely across Facebook, leading to the filing of the case.