Azad Abul Kalam: Model, actress and alcohol are the only things this state is concerned with now

Renowned Bangladeshi actor and media personality Azad Abul Kalam has recently demanded a fair trial for Pori Moni at a protest organised at capital’s Press Club region on Saturday (August 14). Several renowned civil society members and media personalities have organised this protest demanding a fair trial for recently jailed Dhallywood star Pori Moni. 

Azad said during the protest: “What crime did Pori Moni commit? Did she loot a bank or murder someone?” 

“She is an artist and her minimum rights as an artist was violated by the (recent) incidents. When law enforcement raided her home, it seemed like a terrorist extraction operation.

“It seems like this state has no other duties. It has a single duty now. The things this state is worried about now are- model, actor and alcohol. There are no bigger problems in Bangladesh than these issues. 

“This is a huge conspiracy and I think influential people are behind this. Even the government is involved with this influential circle. Such conspiracy can not take place without a government’s involvement.

“Not only the recent harassment of Pori, but each artist also harassed in these recent drives and the harassment of Chayanika are despicable acts. They are promoting it as they caught a most wanted robber. 

“These incidents are part of a bigger conspiracy to tarnish the image of our industry, media personalities and artists. 

“This whole ongoing process seems despicable to me and it is all part of this ongoing conspiracy. We all know that our society is day-by-day going backwards. 

“And an ongoing insidious act is at play to divert the mass from artistes and creative professionals. Now even the government has joined this act to box artists in this or that way.

“Our administration has found this one thing that they need to point at it is becoming a disgusting conspiracy. 

“For argument’s sake, we can say that a thousand home’s in this country has mountains of alcohol stashed in them. Why isn’t the law enforcement raiding those places if alcohol is such an issue?

“We have always seen how influential people in our country and even in other countries’ media industries have been destroyed by the influential class whenever they wanted. 

“We remember how much time it took us to take down the BGMEA building. The influential class have always got away with anything they wanted.

“People now say all artistes are Awami League activists now. Yet, we never see Awami League helping the sick and poor artistes dying on the streets. Whereas, we have always seen media professionals are most unsafe during the Awami League period. A few people who mingle with leaders to take photos, those are different cases. 

“Most TV, film and theatre artistes never got any advantage from AL whereas they were harassed and tortured. 

“And then there is the Digital Security act. What you can and not say have to be said through a metaphor or they will take you in under DSA. 

“Are we living in Pakistan? Of course not,” Azad added.

Azad ended his statement by demanding a fair trial and quick release of Pori Moni.

A Dhaka court has denied bail to actor Shamsunnahar Smrity, better known by her screen name Pori Moni, and sent her to jail in the recent sensational narcotics case on August 13.

She was later sent to jail.

Pori and her aides were detained in a series of raids conducted by RAB on August 4. 

Watch The Report's protest coverage here.