Ilias Kanchan opposed Pori Moni’s Film Artistes’ Association membership suspension

Veteran Bangladeshi film actor and social activist Ilias Kanchan has recently said that he opposed Bangladesh Film Artistes’ Association’s decision to suspend Dhallywood actor Pori Moni’s membership. The Bangladesh National Film award-winning actor said these to Bangladeshi media outlets on Tuesday (August 24).

Previously, Dhallywood actor Zayed Khan, who is also the general secretary of the Film Artistes' Association, told the media, "He did not take this decision alone. The decision regarding Pori Moni was taken by 21 members of the association. Among them are senior film actors like Alamgir, Ilias Kanchan, and Sohail Rana.”

Hence, Ilias protested the statement made by Zayed. 

Kanchan told the press: "Ask them what Ilias Kanchan said." 

“I forbade the suspension of her membership. Yes, they contacted me on the matter. 

“Then I said, only a complaint was made against the artiste. Nothing was proven yet. 

“When the allegations have not been substantiated yet, why do you want to suspend the membership? They tried to convince me that they were not doing it permanently. Just temporarily. 

“In response, I replied, what is the need to postpone! It would not be right to postpone it like this. According to the association’s constitution, it would not be right to do so. As per the rules, if there is any case filed against an artiste, he can be given a notice. S/he can be warned. But suspending membership would not be right at all,” Kanchan added. 

Kanchan also informed that he had given the same opinion to Misa Sawdagar, president of the Film Artistes’ Association.

Yet Pori Moni’s membership was suspended after the raid at her home. The announcement came at a press conference spearheaded by Misa.

On August 4, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) had raided Pori Moni’s Banani home and detained her allegedly with bottles of liquor, yaba pills and LSD blots.

A minibar was found at Pori Moni’s residence where she regularly arranged parties, according to RAB.

RAB said the raid was conducted based on information gleaned from Sharful Hasan alias Mishu Hasan and his accomplice Md Masudul Islam alias Jishan, both of whom were arrested the previous day on charges of carrying out illicit activities through DJ parties.

In a nearly simultaneous raid, movie producer Nazrul Islam Raz and his manager Sabuj Ali were arrested as well.

RAB claimed that Raz ran a ring that used to host DJ parties in upscale Dhaka neighbourhoods and supply drugs, using the parties as a cover.

Bangladesh Police’s elite force RAB, who conducted these raids, also claimed to have seized BDSM and porn making equipment from Raz’s home during the same operation.

RAB brought drugs-related charges against Pori Moni and her aide Dipu in the case filed at Banani police station on August 6.

Pori Moni hit the headlines in a major way back in June after levelling rape and murder attempt charges against several people.

On June 14, she filed a case against businessman Nasir U Mahmood and five others, accusing them of attempting to rape and murder her at Dhaka Boat Club on the night of June 8.

Following the filing of the case, law enforcers arrested Nasir, who later claimed that Pori Moni and her companions were in a drunken state on the night in question.