Drishsho Madhyam Shilpi Shomaj condemns attack on Badhan, demands fair investigation

Drishsho Madhyam Shilpi Shomaj has condemned the attack and physical harassment of actor Azmeri Haque Badhan in Italy. The organisation has called for a fair and impartial investigation into the incident and demanded that the attackers be identified and brought to justice.

In a statement issued yesterday, Drishsho Madhyam Shilpi Shomaj said that targeting an artiste because of their political stance, expression of opinion, or for standing in solidarity with people subjected to repression during a mass movement constitutes an attack on freedom of expression, human rights, and human dignity.

Badhan has alleged that she was targeted because of her active role in the student-led mass movement of July-August 2024. She allegedly said that some of the attackers identified themselves as members of the Awami League, whose activities are currently banned in Bangladesh, and the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League.

According to the statement, Badhan and her fellow artistes are currently in Italy to represent Bangladesh at the Venice Film Festival with their film “The Difficult Bride”. The organisation said the incident had also damaged Bangladesh’s reputation on the international stage.
 

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Referring to Badhan and many other artistes who spoke out against injustice, killings, repression and persecution during the July mass uprising, the statement said everyone has the right to disagree with an artiste’s views. However, no one has the right to insult, intimidate or attack them.

Drishsho Madhyam Shilpi Shomaj said, “Political disagreement can never be a licence for violence.” The organisation described the attack and public harassment of a female artiste not as a form of protest, but as an act of violence.

Expressing solidarity with Badhan, the organisation said, “An artiste’s body is not a field for political revenge, and an artiste’s voice cannot be held hostage by fear. Let there be opinions against opinions and arguments against arguments; but no violence.”
 

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The statement was signed by 112 people, including Anu Muhammad, Salimullah Khan, Farzana Wahid Shayan, Tanim Noor, Muhammad Kaiyum, Akram Khan, Humaira Bilkis, Krishnendu Chattopadhyay, Edila Farid Turin, Manzur Al Matin, and Neamoth Ullah Masum.