Dhaka [Bangladesh]: Bangladeshi actress Nusraat Faria, best known for portraying Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the 2023 biopic Mujib: The Making of a Nation, was arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Sunday, local media reported.
According to bdnews24.com and The Dhaka Tribune, Faria was detained in connection with an attempted murder case related to last year’s anti-government protests in the capital’s Vatara area. The arrest occurred as she was preparing to board a flight to Thailand, reported Prothom Alo.
🔹 Arrest Details:
Inspector Sujan Haque of the Vatara Police Station confirmed that the actress was arrested based on a court-approved case.
“Our team went to the airport to get her based on information from Immigration Police,” Haque said. “She has been shown arrested in the attempted murder case,” he added.
The case, filed in 2024 during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, implicates 17 individuals, including several actors. Nusraat is accused of involvement in a violent incident in which a student was seriously injured.
🔹 Background on Nusraat Faria:
Nusraat Faria began her acting career with the 2015 Bengali-language film Aashiqui, co-starring Ankush Hazra. The film’s commercial success was followed by multiple hits, including:
- Hero 420 (2016)
- Badsha – The Don (2016)
- Premi O Premi (2017)
- Boss 2: Back to Rule (2017)
Her most prominent role came in Mujib: The Making of a Nation, a biopic about Bangladesh’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The film, directed by India’s Shyam Benegal, was a Bangladesh-India co-production, with Arifin Shuvoo portraying Mujib and Nusraat cast as Sheikh Hasina.
Speaking to bdnews24.com upon the film’s release, Faria had said:
“I felt like the luckiest person in my country… I don’t know if anyone will play her [Sheikh Hasina] again, but even if I never act again, this role will always be my greatest achievement.”
🔹 Political Sensitivity:
The case carries political undertones, as the accused are alleged to have participated in anti-government demonstrations. The protests, which escalated into violence in some areas of Dhaka, were part of a broader student-led movement challenging discriminatory practices and economic hardships.
As of now, the Bangladeshi government has not issued an official statement regarding Faria’s arrest or her role in the 2024 protest-related violence.