Popular actress Nusraat Faria has been taken to Kashimpur Central Women's Jail this afternoon (19 May), after a Dhaka court ordered her to be sent to jail in connection with an attempted murder case.
She was taken to the central jail in a prison van at around 2:30pm, the Women's Central Jail's Senior Jail Superintendent Kawalin Nahar confirmed to The Business Standard.
"After some legal procedures, she was taken to a cell designated for her," added Nahar.
Earlier on the day, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Naznin Akter sent Faria to jail after she was produced before the court in the morning.
Sub-Inspector Billal Bhuiyan, the investigation officer of the case, appealed to the court to keep her in jail while defence lawyers submitted a petition seeking bail.
Metropolitan Public Prosecutor (PP) Omar Faruk Faruki opposed the bail plea during the hearing.
The court also set 22 May for the hearing on her bail plea.
Arrest and Backlash
The popular actress was detained by the immigration police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday (18 May) while attempting to leave for Thailand.
Later, she was handed over to the Bhatara Police Station, who then took her to the Detective Branch (DB) office for further questioning. She was later shown to be arrested in connection with an attempted murder case related to the July Uprising.
Her arrest has drawn severe criticism from netizens, politicians, civil society members and even advisers of the interim government.
"A murderer directly involved in the killing was allowed to safely leave the country, and [former speaker of parliament] Shirin Sharmin's passport was made at her home under state supervision.
"Although the second [international crimes] tribunal was supposed to be formed in January, even by May it hasn't happened," National Citizen Party leader Hasnat Abdullah wrote in a post on his verified Facebook profile this afternoon.
Meanwhile, taking to Facebook, Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said Faria's arrest likely happened due to the nervousness of authorities concerned after many expressed anger over the foreign travel of former president Abdul Hamid.
He also described Faria's arrest as "an embarrassing incident" and called for more sensitivity in handling such cases.
In a post on his verified Facebook profile at 11:12am today (19 May), Farooki wrote, "I usually try not to speak outside the work of my ministry. But I also have an identity, I was a person from this [entertainment] industry and will return there soon. Nusraat Faria's arrest remains an embarrassing incident for us."
Amid the backlash, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, seemingly defending her arrest, said questions would have been raised if she had been allowed to leave the country.
"If a case is pending against her, what will you do? If we allowed her to leave, you would have said 'Sir, you released her'," Jahangir said when reporters today (19 May) asked him about Faria's arrest.
The investigation in the case against her is yet to be completed, he added while responding to questions during a press briefing at the Secretariat following a meeting on law and order.
What does the case statment say
According to the case statement, Nusraat Faria, along with actors Apu Biswas, Nipun Akter, Ashna Habib Bhabna, Zayed Khan, and 12 others, were accused in an attempted murder case filed during an anti-discrimination movement in Bhatara area.
Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 283 others were also named in the same case.
The case was filed on 29 April at Bhatara Police Station, a day after a court ordered police to register it.
Nusraat Faria was accused in the case of allegedly financing the Awami League (AL), which the complainant claims took a stance against the anti-discrimination movement.
Nusraat Faria began her career as a radio jockey before moving on to television hosting in 2013. She also acted in a few dramas.
She made her silver screen debut in 2015 with Aashiqui, a Bangladesh-India joint production that earned widespread attention.
Since then, she has appeared in nearly 20 films in Dhallywood and Tollywood.
