Model Meghna Alam released from prison on bail

Model Meghna Alam has been released from prison on bail after spending 20 days in detention over alleged fraud and extortion linked to trapping influential figures in romance scams for blackmail.

She was released from the Kashimpur Central Women’s Jail at around 6:30pm on Tuesday, a day after securing bail.

Her lawyer, Mahima Badhon, confirmed her release, saying that the bail documents reached the jail in the afternoon and Meghna was released shortly after that.

Family members, including Meghna’s father, were present outside the prison to receive her.

Meghna, chairperson of the Miss Bangladesh Foundation, was crowned Miss Earth Bangladesh on Oct 5, 2020.

She was detained on Apr 9 from her house in the capital’s Bashundhara residential area.

Before her arrest, Meghna posted a live video on Facebook, alleging that individuals claiming to be police officers were attempting to break into her home. The livestream ended shortly after her arrest.

She was produced before a Dhaka court the following day, which ordered her to be held in custody for 30 days under the Special Powers Act.

On Apr 17, Meghna was formally arrested in the Dhanmondi “honey trap” case.

The charges alleged that Meghna, along with Dewan Samir and other accomplices, is part of an organised criminal gang.

The group is accused of entrapping diplomats and wealthy expat industrialists by luring them into romantic scams using attractive women.

The allegations further added that the gang used threats of defamation and dishonour, exploiting these relationships to extort money through illegal means.