Dhaka– Acclaimed Bangladeshi actress Nusraat Faria was granted bail by a Dhaka court on Tuesday in connection with an attempted murder case linked to the July 2024 anti-government movement. The decision comes amid widespread domestic and international criticism over her arrest.
Faria, who gained prominence for her portrayal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a biographical film, was detained by authorities at Dhaka airport on Sunday as she was en route to Thailand. Her arrest triggered an outpouring of concern from rights advocates, industry peers, and observers worldwide.
Judge Mustafizur Rahman of the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court approved her bail on a bond of 5,000 Taka after reviewing a report submitted by the investigating officer. According to the report, Faria was in Canada between July 9 and August 14 of last year—outside Bangladesh during the events in question—raising serious doubts about her alleged involvement.
The charges stem from an incident during the July 2024 uprising in Dhaka’s Bhatara area, where Enamul Haque sustained a gunshot wound to the leg on July 19. Haque later filed a case on May 3, 2025, naming 283 individuals as accused, including former Prime Minister Hasina and 17 artists. Faria was listed as the 207th accused and identified as a supposed financial supporter of the Awami League.
The arrest of Faria, a prominent public figure, has drawn condemnation from cultural leaders and legal experts alike. Bangladesh’s Cultural Affairs Advisor Sarwar Farooki called the arrest an “embarrassing incident” for the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, suggesting it may have been a panicked overreaction in the wake of political controversies.
“This is reminiscent of the unjust treatment of Barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partho’s wife just days ago,” Farooki posted on social media. “The government’s stated policy was clear—no indiscriminate arrests without preliminary evidence. That principle was clearly not upheld in Faria’s case.”
Prominent members of the Bangladesh Cholochitro Shilpi Samiti, the national film artists’ association, also spoke out against the government’s actions. Directors and actors including Ashfaque Nipun, Azmeri Haque Badhon, Khairul Basar, and Sharaf Ahmed Jibon condemned what they called a politically motivated campaign by the “fascist Yunus administration.”
The backlash extended beyond Bangladesh. Noted British journalist David Bergman criticized the arrest as emblematic of a growing climate of fear under the current interim leadership.
“Being associated with the Awami League has become a risk in itself,” Bergman said. “We’re seeing arbitrary arrests based on flimsy evidence, eroding trust in due process. It’s taken just nine months to reach a dangerous threshold where civil society is more focused on revenge than justice.”
The case against Faria and the broader crackdown on artists and political figures continue to raise serious concerns about freedom of expression and political retaliation under Bangladesh’s interim government. While Faria’s bail offers a brief reprieve, many observers remain wary about the trajectory of justice and human rights in the country. (Source: IANS)
