July-activist celebrities rally behind Nusraat Faria following arrest

Actress Nusraat Faria's arrest in an alleged attempted murder case has drawn widespread criticism from prominent artistes and cultural figures, especially those who were vocal during the July uprising. Faria was detained at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Sunday, May 18, while attempting to travel to Thailand, and was later sent to prison following a court order on Monday, May 19.

Filmmaker and Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki addressed Nusrat Faria's arrest as "awkward and concerning," urging greater sensitivity in handling such cases. He reaffirmed the government's stance against blanket arrests without prior investigation and questioned the timing of her detention amid political tensions. "Our primary task is to bring the actual offenders of the July incident to justice," he stated.

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Nusraat Faria’s arrest ‘unsettling’: cultural adviser

Actress Azmeri Haque Badhan condemned the arrest, calling it "unacceptable" and a reflection of a system where "basic rights" are no longer upheld. Television actor Khairul Basar questioned the logic behind punishing an artiste for performing a scripted role in a government-commissioned film. "She hasn't even been politically active. Then why is she being harassed?" he wrote.

Filmmaker Shihab Shaheen labelled the case "absurd" and "harassment," responding to a commenter who accused Faria of siding with a tyrannical regime. "She acted in a film. Does that make her an accomplice?" he asked.

Rapper Mahmud Hasan Tabib recalled Faria's now-viral quote while promoting "Mujib", "There's a Hasina in every girl," and questioned the fairness of labelling her a criminal for it.

Director Ashfaque Nipun criticised the practice of targeting "soft figures" like artistes while real offenders evade justice. He called the charges against Faria, who was abroad during the alleged incident, a troubling misuse of the legal system.

Actors Equity also released a statement condemning the arrests and lawsuits against artistes. 

"Artistes have always been vocal and conscious in serving and safeguarding the interests of society and the state. Not only that, their role in any humanitarian need is also undeniable. Therefore, we believe that protecting the interests and dignity of these artistes is a moral responsibility of society and the state.

Harassing arrests, lawsuits, and attacks against artistes create concern and anxiety, disrupting the normal lives of the artists and their families and leaving them helpless. Such incidents also lead to various forms of disorder in social life.

Hence, the ongoing organised attempts to tarnish the image of the artistic community must come to an end. In this regard, we expect the government to take fair and non-discriminatory actions. We always remain respectful toward justice."

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Nusraat Faria’s arrest ‘unsettling’: cultural adviser

Collectively, their statements call into question the boundaries between artistic expression and political persecution.