TBS report leads to street vendor’s bail in Dhaka

Street Vendor Delwar Hossain, who was arrested just for selling business directories in the capital city, has been freed on bail on Tuesday, after his ordeal was revealed in a report by The Business Standard.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Hasibul Haque granted his bail plea on Monday, said the victim's lawyer Alauddin Al Azad.

"We have filed a bail petition with the court and placed the media reports before it. Hearing the petition, the court ordered my client's bail on Monday," he said.

The victim has been freed from Keraniganj's Dhaka Central Jail upon completion of the legal procedures.

While talking to this correspondent, Delwar demanded compensation for the harassment and the days he had spent behind the bar.

"This is an example how police implicate innocent people in false cases. I want compensation for the days I have spent in jail," he said.

Delwar was arrested on 15 January this year. The incident came to the fore on January 25 when The Business Standard and a Bangla daily circulated a story over his arrest.

When selling business directories is a crime

According to police, Delwar was arrested for supplying phone books to individuals who would turn out to be extortionists impersonating Dhaka underworld gang members.

But his family members and friends claimed that he was falsely implicated.