Nusraat Faria, a popular Bangladeshi actress who was arrested on Sunday by the Dhaka police in an attempted murder case, was granted a bail. As per reports, Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court Judge Mostafizur Rahman officially granted the bail. Officer Mazharul Islam stated, “Nusraat Faria was detained at Dhaka Airport while going abroad. She is an accused in an attempted murder case. The detectives are questioning her. A decision will be taken later on whether she will be arrested or not.” Case was registered against 17 other actors including Nusraat in an attempted murder connected to the last year student protests.
Interestingly, Nusraat Faria who played the role of Sheikh Hasina in a biopic titled “Mujib : The Making of a Nation” was put in jail on the charges of attempted murder connected to the 2024 student protests that led to the ousting of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Her arrest marks the recent spate of arrests made under the new interim regime under Mohammad Younus.
Nusraat Faria becomes latest target in Bangladesh anti-Artists campaign
Arrest of Nusraat Faria is not an isolated arrest that has taken place under the Yunus regime. There has been a consistent crackdown on Bangladeshi Artists and celebrities since the last year student protests. It has been argued that most of these artists either supported the now banned Awami League or had some remote connection with it.
On Faria’s arrest, Hasnat Abdullah, Chief of NCP south wrote, “A murderer directly involved in murder was allowed to safely leave the country, and [former speaker of parliament] Shirin Sharmin’s passport was made at her home under state supervision. ” adding, “What happened to the list of 626 people? After safely getting those 626 people out, now you’re arresting Nusraat Faria in a murder case to make it look like you’re delivering justice? This is not justice — this is Hasina-style attention diversion tactics.”
Bangladeshi Cultural Affairs Adviser Farooki stated, “I generally try not to speak beyond the responsibilities of my ministry. But I do have an identity — I was a part of this industry and will be returning to it. The arrest of Nusraat Faria is an embarrassing incident for us.”
Some of the arrests were so random that an artist painting a boat in a landscape was given death threats because boat was the election symbol of Sheikh Hasina’a Awami league. Artist said, “I have nothing to do with politics. I did not paint boats to show support to any political outfit. But who would explain it to abusive trolls,”
Artists are even being arrested in the middle of the night. Actress Shomi Kaiser, president of the e-commerce association of Bangladesh was detained by the police in Dhaka last year in a case of attempted murder during the protests last year. Kaiser has been actively involved with the Awami League party.
Like Nusraat Faria, Actress Nipun Akhter was picked up on January 10 from Sylhet Osmani International Airport by the immigration police in co-ordination with the intelligence agencies. She was known to be politically involved with Awami League and had connections with Sheikh Hasina’s cousin, Sheikh Selim.
Bangladeshi actor and Filmmaker Meher Afroz Shaon was arrested after she criticized the Younus interim government on Facebook in February. She was taken in for ‘Anti-State conspiracy’. Later in April an arrest warrant was filed against her in a separate case of attempted murder and assault by her step mother. Chief of the Dhaka Metropolitan police was also issued an arrest warrant in the same case along with nine others.
137 journalists have 32 cases lodged against them which are connected to the last year protests and many of such cases have former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina listed as the co-accused. Last year, Shariar Kabir, a journalist and a filmmaker was arrested on charges of mass killing and crimes against humanity. Former PM Sheikh Hasina was also listed in this case. Shariar Kabir was also charged with a separate murder case filed by Mufti Harun Izhar Chowdhury.
In all these arrests, there is a noticeable pattern of silencing dissent and crackdown following the ousting Sheikh Hasina after the student protests. Most of the charges are serious in nature but lack clarity or strong evidence. Artists have been arrested for writing protest song, painting boats, and social media posts. Global organization like Amnesty International have condemned these arrests and argued that such arrests are a threat to freedom of expression.
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