Dhaka: Actress who portrayed former PM Hasina arrested

Nusrat Faria was detained at the airport as she prepared to board a flight to Thailand. She is accused of financing the crackdown on last summer’s student protests. Seventeen other well-known figures from the film industry are also implicated. According to director Farooki, an advisor in the current interim government, the arrest follows public outrage after other Awami League leaders fled the country.

Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Bangladeshi actress Nusrat Faria, 31, was arrested yesterday by immigration police at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Thailand. The arrest was carried out on the basis of an attempted murder warrant issued in July last year, during anti-government student protests that led to the resignation and flight of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

This morning, the Dhaka Metropolitan Court ordered Faria to be remanded in custody. The request, initially made by officers of the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch, was upheld by Chief Prosecutor Omar Faruque Farooqui.

The case also involves 17 other prominent names in the film industry, including actors Suborna Mostafa, Rokeya Prachi, Zayed Khan, and Apu Biswas. While the specific charges against the accused have not yet been made public, court documents filed with the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistracy allege that the actress is among a group of individuals who funded Awami League operations against last year’s mass protests.

The Awami League – Hasina’s party – has since been banned by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. Just weeks ago, some party officials left the country without facing trial for their alleged role in the violent repression of the demonstrations, sparking widespread public indignation.

The complaint was filed by Enamul Haque, a participant in the anti-government protests. On 19 July, he was shot in the leg and later hospitalised while unconscious. A total of 283 individuals are named in the case, including former PM Hasina.

Nusrat Faria began her career as a radio presenter before debuting in cinema in 2015 with Aashiqui, a Bangladesh-India co-production. Her international recognition came in 2023 with her portrayal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the film Mujib: The Making of a Nation, a biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman – Hasina’s father and the founding father of Bangladesh. The film, directed by Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal, also starred Arifin Shuvoo and Nusrat Imroz Tisha.

“I felt like the luckiest person in my country. Even if I never act again, this role is my greatest achievement,” Faria had stated. According to several sources, Sheikh Hasina was aware of the role from the beginning.

Legal experts predict the trial will receive significant media attention due to the high-profile individuals involved. Director Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, currently an advisor to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs under the interim government, commented on the case via Facebook:
“I usually refrain from commenting on matters outside my ministry. However, I am also part of the cultural industry – and in just two days, I will return to that community.”

“The arrest of Nusrat Faria is an embarrassing incident for us. The government’s responsibility is to bring the true culprits behind the July events to justice. The case against Faria has existed for a long time. Until now, the government had not acted on it, awaiting the outcome of investigations. However, the arrest happened at the airport, likely due to rising tensions following public outrage over the recent foreign travel of former Awami League secretary Abdul Hamid. Such events are unacceptable under any circumstances. I trust that Nusrat Faria will receive appropriate legal recourse,” Farooki added.