4 gays briefly arrested in B'desh over bid to stage rally

Four gay activists were briefly arrested in Bangladesh as they tried to defy a ban and stage a "rainbow rally" supporting homosexuality during the Bengali New Year celebrations, officials said today.
"The four were briefly detained on allegations of attempting to stage rally supporting gay rights, defying a previous ban, during the Pahela Baishakh celebrations... They were freed last night as police eventually preferred not to bring any charges against them," Dhaka metropolitan police joint commissioner Krishna Pada Roy told PTI.
He said the police arrested them after some revelers at the premier Dhaka University campus drew police attention towards the four as they were preparing to stage a gay rally under their banner of their group 'Roopbaan', defying a ban.

Another police officer said they were arrested while taking part in a traditional procession - a key feature of the New Year celebration - with rainbow colours to promote sexual diversity and tolerance.
According to a media report, police called the parents of the detained gays and told them that their children were homosexuals and advised them to address the 'problem'.
'Roopban', that emerged two years ago, earlier staged small rallies in 2014 and 2015 calling for same sex rights and "freedom of love" but police this year declined to allow them to stage the demonstration after Islamists threatened to beat up participants.

A police officer said the group was refused permission this year as their Facebook page was flooded with death threats but its members joined the general procession wearing dresses of rainbow colours and carrying flowers to usher in the New Year along with other revelers.
Homosexuality is a crime in Muslim-majority Bangladesh while its penal code stipulates punishment of up to life imprisonment alongside fines.