Veteran journalist Anis Alamgir was arrested on December 14, 2025, by the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police in connection with a case filed under Bangladesh’s Anti-Terrorism Act.
On December 15, a Dhaka court granted police a five-day remand to interrogate Alamgir over allegations that he had spread propaganda through television talk shows and social media posts, and conspired to “rehabilitate” the banned Awami League political party. The complaint was filed by an individual who identified himself as an organizer of a protest movement that led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024.
Following the remand period, a Dhaka magistrate on December 20 ordered Alamgir be sent to jail while police continue to investigate the case. CPJ has been unable to determine where he is being held, or the specific provisions of the act under which he was arrested, because authorities have not made the police complaint publicly available.
If convicted under the Anti-Terrorism Act, Alamgir could face life imprisonment and a substantial fine.
Alamgir is a former war correspondent who reported from Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003. In recent years, he has regularly appeared on television and used social media to comment on national politics, security issues, and press freedom in Bangladesh.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police did not respond to CPJ’s emailed request for comment.