Apu-Zayed-Nusrat Faria among 17 stars in attempted murder case!

A new discussion has started in the Dhaka film industry. This time, 17 famous actors are at the center of the discussion. The charges against them are involvement in the serious crime of 'attempted murder'. The names of Nusrat Faria, Apu Biswas, Zayed Khan, Meher Afroz Shaon, Suborna Mostafa, Rokeya Prachi, Nipun Akhter, Sohana Saba, Ashna Habib Bhabna, Jyotika Jyoti and several others have emerged in the case.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bhatara Police Station Mazhurul Islam confirmed to the media that these actors have been accused in an attempted murder case that took place in the area under Bhatara Police Station in Dhaka during the 2024 anti-discrimination movement. The case was filed by a citizen named Enamul Haque. He alleged that these stars had taken a stand against the movement and were involved in the assassination attempt carried out with the direct or indirect sponsorship of the government and the ruling party Awami League.

According to the case documents, 283 people associated with the government, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and three to four hundred unknown people have been named as accused in the case. Nusrat Faria has been named as a financial supporter of the Awami League and accused of inciting violence. Apart from this, the case names a total of 17 stars including Apu Biswas, Suborna Mostafa, Rokeya Prachi, Bhabna, Shaon, Jyotika Jyoti, Sohana Saba, Simon Sadiq, Zayed Khan, Azizul Hakim.

Bhatara Police Station confirmed that the case has been brought to them for investigation and that the investigation process is underway through legal process. However, this incident has caused a stir in the film and cultural arena. The number of popular stars directly named in assassination attempts cases is unprecedented in film history.

Analysts and the art community at various levels are not only seeing this case as part of the legal process, but also believe that it has political motives. Dhaka University Law Department Professor Dr. Mahbub Kabir said, “The role of the court in this case should be very sensitive. If this is intentional, then it is an abuse of the law. If the allegations are true, it also raises questions about the responsibility of the cultural sphere.”

Actress Meher Afroz Shaon reacted on social media, “If we were really involved in the assassination attempt, then evidence would have come by now. This case proves that even expressing dissent in the country has now become dangerous.”

Many in the cultural sphere are seeing this case as intentional harassment. A veteran actor, who did not want to be named, said, “Stars can do politics, they can express their opinions. But such serious allegations against them question the freedom of the cultural sphere.”

Bangladesh’s film and cultural arena has been in the shadow of politics for a long time. However, the accusation of direct participation in violence, especially the crime of attempted murder, against so many artists is unprecedented. Through this, a major debate has started on the neutrality of the cultural world, the right to express opinions and political involvement.

As important as the investigation and judicial proceedings of this case are, it is now a matter of seeing where the reaction of public opinion and the cultural sphere will take it. This is not just a question of a case; rather, it has raised a big question mark about the relationship, responsibility and freedom between culture and politics in the country.