Nusraat Faria’s arrest ‘unsettling’: cultural adviser

Nusraat Faria was recently taken into custody at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in connection with an attempted murder case filed with Bhatara Police Station.

Following the arrest, Cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki addressed the issue in a Facebook post. 

In his post, Farooki expressed concern over the arrest and questioned the authorities' handling of the situation.

"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 has become an awkward incident for us," said Farooki.

"It is the responsibility of our government to bring actual offenders from the July case to justice. When it comes to blanket cases, our stance is clear: no one will be arrested without a preliminary investigation indicating involvement. And that policy was being followed," he added.

Farooki noted that although a case had existed against Faria for some time, there had been no apparent move by the government to arrest her prior to the conclusion of the investigation. "But the incident occurred right after she arrived at the airport," he remarked.

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He also drew connections between the timing of the arrest and recent political tensions, particularly public reaction to former Awami League president Abdul Hamid's travel abroad. "Perhaps this incident resulted from over-nervousness or frustration. A few days ago, a similar incident happened with the wife of Barrister Andaleeve Partha. Such incidents are in no way justifiable," he said.

Farooki expressed hope that Faria would receive appropriate legal recourse. He concluded his statement by urging more sensitivity in handling sweeping legal cases.

"And we hope to be able to handle such blanket cases with greater sensitivity. We must remember that our primary task is to bring the actual offenders of the July incident to justice," he wrote.

A Dhaka court today sent Nusraat Faria to jail in connection with an attempted murder case linked to the July uprising.