Popular Bangladeshi actress Nusraat Faria, who portrayed the role of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the biopic Mujib: The Making of a Nation, was detained at Dhaka‘s Shahjalal International Airport on Sunday morning. The 31-year-old actress was reportedly held at the gate of immigration when she was returning to Thailand. Nusraat Faria‘s arrest has been linked to a charge of attempted murder brought in connection with the massive anti-government protest that rocked Bangladesh in July, Prothom Alo said. The protests, which initially involved clashes and street violence, later led to Hasina’s resignation and escape to India. One of the immigration unit sources confirmed that Faria had an arrest warrant against her on charges of her role in the violent demonstrations. Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Badda Zone, Shafiqul Islam, also confirmed her arrest to local media.
Following her arrest, Faria was first brought to Vatara police station and later transferred to the office of Dhaka Metropolitan Police‘s (DMP) Detective Branch (DB) for interrogation. Nusraat Faria became a global face after portraying Sheikh Hasina in the 2023 Indo-Bangladeshi biopic Mujib: The Making of a Nation, directed by late legendary director Shyam Benegal. The Indo-Bangladeshi co-production film tried to document the life and legacy of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of Bangladesh.
The irony of the situation has not escaped: Nusrat Faria, who is now charged with complicity in activities that brought about Hasina’s political downfall, once portrayed the nation’s longest-reigning leader on television. Starting off as a radio presenter and jockey, Nusraat Faria entered the world of films in 2015 with Aashiqui: True Love. She has since then appeared in several Bangladeshi and Indian Bengali films, and is still a popular television host and model. With interrogations ongoing, the arrest of a prominent cultural figure such as Faria provides a dramatic turn to Bangladesh‘s ongoing political transition.
