Badhon assaulted in Venice

An alleged politically motivated assault on actress Azmeri Haque Badhon in Venice, Italy, has drawn condemnation in Bangladesh, with lawmakers and political parties linking the incident to her outspoken support for the July-August 2024 mass uprising.

Badhon, who was in Venice for the premiere of her film The Difficult Bride at the Venice Film Festival, said she was attacked while spending time with her brother and his family, including a young child, at a park.

She said water, soft drinks and eggs were thrown at her before she was physically assaulted, her mobile phone was knocked from her hand and she was struck near her ear.

The actress has since lodged a complaint with Italian police.

Badhon alleged that she was targeted because of her public support for the July uprising, during which she criticised the crackdown on protesters and spoke to local and international media in support of the movement.

She said some of those involved identified themselves as members of the Awami League and Bangladesh Chhatra League, whose political activities have been banned in Bangladesh, while others described themselves as “soldiers of Bangabandhu”.

The incident was raised in parliament on Tuesday by BNP lawmaker Jahrat Adib Chowdhury during a point of order at the start of the sitting. She sought details of steps being taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with Italian law enforcement.

Referring to Badhon’s social media account, Jahrat said the actress had been assaulted while walking with family members, including a child, and alleged that the incident was linked to her support for the July uprising.

She described the alleged assault on a woman and an artist as unacceptable and said some of those accused had subsequently made defiant posts on social media, claiming they could act with impunity. She also said suspects had been identified through social media within 24 hours of the incident.

Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, who was presiding over the sitting, described the alleged assault as “extremely unforgivable and condemnable”.
“Parliament is waiting to know about this.

The nation wants to know,” he said, adding that parliament would seek a formal response from the government when a representative of the foreign ministry was present.

NCP calls for action
The National Citizen Party (NCP) also condemned the incident, alleging in a joint statement by its convener and member secretary that Badhon and family members accompanying her, including a woman and a child, had been harassed and assaulted.

The party alleged that Awami League activists were behind the incident and claimed Badhon had been forced to chant “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu”. The allegations have not been independently verified.

The NCP also referred to the presence in Venice of Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and said some of those allegedly involved had been photographed with him and shared the images online.

The party did not provide evidence that Joy directed or encouraged the alleged attack.

Calling for action against those responsible, the NCP urged the Foreign Ministry and Bangladesh’s mission in Italy to work with Italian authorities to identify and arrest the suspects.

It also demanded the cancellation of their visas and their deportation to Bangladesh to face legal proceedings.

The party said Bangladeshi diplomatic missions should do more to protect “July fighters” and citizens abroad.

Government promises diplomatic support
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir told parliament that an attack on any participant in the July uprising amounted to an attack on the country’s democratic system.

He said BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami activists, as well as ordinary citizens who participated in the movement, had faced harassment while travelling abroad by people supporting the Awami League and Bangladesh Chhatra League.

Humaiun said the Bangladesh Embassy in Rome and the Consulate in Milan had been instructed to coordinate with Italian authorities and would contact Italy’s foreign ministry to convey Bangladesh’s “strongest position” on the incident.

He added that the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would pursue the “highest possible measures” against those it accuses of past abuses.

There has so far been no independent confirmation of the alleged attackers’ identities or political affiliations.