Kazi Hayat, President of the Film Directors Association administered the oath to the newly elected committee of the Film Artists Association. At that time, Chief Election Commissioner Khorshed Alam Khosru, who was in charge of conducting this year’s election, left the oath-taking place.
According to the rules of the organization, the Chief Election Commissioner was supposed to administer the oath, but it was not done, and such an undesirable situation was created in the event organized by the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (FDC).
The incident of artists attacking journalists and YouTubers at the swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday afternoon has also created discussion and criticism. At least 10 journalists and YouTubers were beaten up by artists.
Before this incident, even though Chief Election Commissioner Khosru was present at the ceremony, director and actor Kazi Hayat was called to take the oath instead. Then Khosrow left the venue. Kazi Hayat himself thinks that the matter is not right.
However, he said that at the moment of the oath ceremony, he could not refuse the newly elected general secretary Monowar Hossain Dipzal’s immediate request.
This afternoon, the newly elected members of the 21 members of the Film Artists Association took oath. On April 19, the Misha-Dipzol panel won the elections for the term 2024-26.
Film Directors Association President Kazi Hayat administered the oath to the newly elected President Misha Saudagar. Later, according to the rules, the president read the oath to the other members of the committee.
Commenting on the insult, Khorshed Alam Khosru told Glitz, “Kazi Hayat Sahib is a wise man, why did he do this? I don’t understand. Where the Election Commission is present, this does not happen.”
He commented, “In the past we have also seen the Chief Election Commissioner administer the oath to the newly elected President. Later the President administers the oath to his other elected members. But when I saw it here, it was not happening. I felt humiliated and left there. Later I heard of journalists being beaten up. It happened.”
Kazi Hayat also thinks that the matter has gotten a little worse. He told Glitz, “I didn’t know it was going to happen, then I realized it wasn’t right. There was going to be a fight, there was going to be a mental breakdown.”
Newly elected President Misha Saudagar and General Secretary Dipzal were called on mobile phones but they did not pick up.
Two leaders of artists’ association beat journalists with oaths
In the evening after the swearing-in ceremony, two members of the newly elected committee, including two members of the artists’ association, clashed with journalists and YouTubers. They killed and bled at least 10 people.
Eyewitnesses said that actor Shiva Shanu, Shilpi Samiti’s newly elected organizing secretary Joy Chowdhury and international affairs secretary Alexander Bo led the beating incident.
However, Shiva Shanu told bdnews24.com that there is a reason for getting involved in fights.
When asked why he fought, he said, “I will not say anything now. An inquiry committee has been formed with senior film personalities and senior journalists. It is to them that I will first give my explanation. Now I’ll just say, one hand doesn’t clap.”
Actors Jai Chowdhury and Alexander did not receive the calls even though they were called several times.
Soon after the swearing-in ceremony, an argument broke out between some journalists and YouTubers with some members of Shilpi Samiti, which later turned into a scuffle. At this time, the incident of chair throwing also happened.
During this time, Daily Khabar Kaghe entertainment reporter Mithun Al Mamun, Banglavision’s cameraperson and around 10 journalists and YouTubers were injured.
The injured were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for first aid.
Commenting on this incident as sad and unwelcome, Chief Election Commissioner Khosru told bdnews24.com, “I heard after leaving that journalists were beaten up.
“If this happens without winning the election, it is very shameful and sad. I am personally ashamed of this unexpected incident. It cannot be the behavior of artists.”
Kazi Hayat said, “This fight did not happen in front of me. Later I heard that there was a fight. I did not try to find out on my own. Now I don’t like to get involved in this anymore. I did not even try to find out.”
Misha-Dipzol’s woes
Newly elected President of Film Artistes Association Misha Saudagar and General Secretary Deepjol expressed their regret over the incident of unwanted fights calling for maintaining cordiality and harmony with journalists in the future.
The statement said, “A milad and doa mahfil was organized on the occasion of the victory of the newly elected committee of the Bangladesh Film Artists Association at 5 pm on Tuesday in the garden of BFDC. There, on our invitation, journalists from various media came to receive the news. At that time, the executive of the artists association along with the journalists in an awkward situation. Some elected members of the committee and ordinary members clashed. We learned that several journalists were injured in the incident, which saddens us.”
Apart from expressing grief, the statement also said that necessary measures should be taken in view of the incident.
In the meantime, in the joint discussion of the leaders of the artists’ association and the journalists, the statement said that producer Arshad Adnan will be the chief advisor and an 11-member investigation committee will be formed.
The committee consists of journalists Liman Ahmed, Rahat Saiful, Ahmed Taukir, Bulbul Ahmed Joy and Abul Kalam and Misha Saudagar, D A Taib, Nanashah, Rubel and Ratna from the Shilpi Samiti.
Read more:
