A shocking rape incident in Muradnagar upazila of Cumilla has sparked widespread outrage across Bangladesh. Police have arrested the main accused, Fazor Ali, along with four others in connection with the case.
As the public reacts with anger and calls for justice, voices from the entertainment industry have also risen in strong protest.
Actor Azmeri Haque Badhon took to social media, calling rape a "horrific crime" that has been normalized in society for too long.
She condemned the tendency to treat such tragedies as temporary viral moments, rather than a deep-rooted crisis.
“Rape is a heinous crime. But in this country, it has been normalized for so long. People only speak up when a horrifying incident goes viral – a video clip, a social media post. Then suddenly everyone gets enraged. But only for a short time. Soon, people move on, forget everything, because every day there is a new drama, a new scandal. We treat rape as news, not a crisis. Worse, some people record these crimes and share them for entertainment on social media. They are not innocent. They are part of the crime. They must also be punished. My heart is broken, I am angry, and yes, I am scared. Because I am a woman, and I do not feel safe in this country – not in real life, not in virtual life,” Badhon wrote.
Veteran actor Misha Sawdagor demanded the death penalty for rapists, stating, “May every person in this country live in peace. May every woman be safe. May every injustice be corrected. May every rapist be hanged. I strongly condemn and express my disgust at the rape incident in Muradnagar. I demand the rapist’s execution.”Actress Moushumi Hamid reacted emotionally, writing, “Humans are no longer human. The world is coming to an end.”
Actress Moushumi Hamid wrote: “Humans are no longer human. The world is coming to an end. Soon, there will be no more humanity left.”
Actress Nusraat Faria posted: “STOP RAPE.”
Prarthona Fardin Dighi added: “Say NO to rape. Stand against it. STOP RAPE.”
Tama Mirza posted in shock: “Muradnagar, Cumilla! Atrocity! Shame...”
Actor Arsh Khan commented: “When cowardice reaches its peak, it turns into monstrosity. Such acts against a woman cannot be committed by someone with a true identity.”
Actor Ziaul Roshan demanded public execution: “There’s only one punishment for the rapists involved in the incident in Muradnagar, Cumilla. Public hanging. I don’t care which party they belong to, which religion. I just want public hanging.”
Singer Sinthi Saha expressed her horror: “Which country am I living in? What did I just witness? Disgusting, disgusting, disgusting...”
Actor Joy Chowdhury declared: “I strongly condemn and curse what happened to the woman in Muradnagar, Cumilla. The person who raped and the one who recorded and shared the video must both face justice.”
Director Naeem Imtiaz Neyamul criticized the current state of the nation: “The current situation in Bangladesh feels like a cruel joke, a tragic comedy. It`s as if the whole country has become a giant laboratory and the person in charge of the experiment lacks knowledge and responsibility. It`s like a monkey with a stick. Bangladesh is exactly in that situation right now – a monkey with a stick, and the country keeps suffering.”
Singer Lutfor Hasan wrote: “We feel relieved just when a criminal is arrested. And then we stop. But the real process begins after we stop. Slowly, the criminal gets released. Escapes abroad. Changes location. The chapter of justice quietly vanishes from history. I demand proper punishment for the offender.”
The collective outcry from public figures underscores a national frustration with recurring incidents of sexual violence and a demand for systemic reform and real consequences for such crimes.
