Bangladeshi actress Azmeri Haque Badhon has alleged that she and her family members were physically harassed and attacked by a group of expatriate Bangladeshis, whom she identified as supporters of the activity-banned Awami League, in Mestre, Italy.
Badhon made the allegations during a live broadcast from her verified Facebook page in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to the actress, she had gone to a park with her brother and his family when a group of Bengali expatriates approached them and allegedly attacked her.
‘Here I went to the park with my brother's family. And many of our Bengali brothers came and physically harassed me. They threw water and Coke on my body. I got completely wet,’ she said during the livestream.
Badhon said her brother's young child was also present during the incident.
‘They raised their hands on my body, threw my phone and hit me next to my ear,’ she alleged. She also said the group repeatedly referred to her participation in the July movement.
‘I am a July fighter. Yes, I am. I definitely participated in the July movement,’ she quoted herself as saying during the confrontation.
The actress further alleged that the attackers identified themselves as supporters or soldiers of Bangabandhu and forced her to chant, ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu.’ She claimed that the incident was being recorded and livestreamed by those involved.
‘They could have killed me,’ Badhon said while describing the incident.
The allegations come as Badhon is in Italy to attend the Venice International Film Festival. She travelled there in connection with movie The Difficult Bride, directed by Rubaiyat Hossain.
The film was screened in the competitive Orizzonti section of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. Its world premiere took place at the Sala Darsena at 2:15pm local time on September 6, or 6:15pm Bangladesh time.
The Difficult Bride features Zainin Karim, Rikita Nandini Shimu, Sunerah Binte Kamal and Azmeri Haque Badhon in leading roles and is directed by Rubaiyat Hossain.
Former adviser Mahfuj Alam was among those to quickly condemned the incident.
In a statement, he said the incident was a reminder that the Awami League was a ‘terrorist and fascist organisation’.
Mahfuj further alleged that the party had been responsible for disappearances, killings, political persecution and large-scale embezzlement, and said that its alleged ‘bloodlust’ had not stopped following the July uprising.
