Interim govt struggling with moral, political direction: British journo David Bergman on Nusraat Faria arrest
The interim government appears to be struggling with its moral and political direction, said British journalist David Bergman while talking about the arrest of actress Nusraat Faria.
David Bergman in a Facebook post today (19 May) said, "The arrest of actress Nusraat Faria—who portrayed former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a film—marks a deeply troubling moment."
"It now appears that simply being a known supporter of the Awami League, or having close associations with the party, is enough to make one a target. We have I think reached the point where such individuals can no longer feel safe in Bangladesh—where arbitrary arrest on baseless charges becomes a legitimate fear," he added. .
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He cited a few reasons behind the current state. One of the reasons he said is the interim government struggling with its moral and political direction.
"The country's new civil society seem indifferent to due process and fairness—focused instead on vengeance and score-settling," he added.
He also said, there is no major political force left to champion basic human rights.
"This is not justice. It is retribution dressed up as accountability. And it should alarm anyone who believes in the rule of law—no matter where they stand politically," he concluded.
Popular actress Nusraat Faria was detained at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday (18 May) while attempting to travel to Thailand, according to immigration police sources.
She was in custody at the airport initially, and later taken into DB custody for interrogation.
Seventeen actors, including Nusraat Faria, were named in an attempted murder case filed on 29 April in connection with the anti-discrimination movement.
The case was lodged at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (CMM) Court in Dhaka by complainant Enamul Haque, naming Sheikh Hasina and 283 others, along with 300 to 400 unidentified individuals, as accused.
The case documents state that Nusraat Faria was implicated as one of the alleged financiers of the ruling Awami League's operations against the mass uprising.
Alongside Faria, the case also names actors Apu Biswas, Nipun Akter, Ashna Habib Bhabna, Zayed Khan, Suborna Mustafa, Rokeya Prachy, Sohana Saba, Meher Afroz Shaon, Jyotika Jyoti, Symon Sadik, and Azizul Hakim.
