Dhaka: Actress Azmeri Haque Badhon returned to Bangladesh on Monday morning after recently being assaulted and harassed while attending the Venice International Film Festival in Italy. Badhon attended the festival last week with the team of Rubaiyat Hossain's film "The Difficult Bride," which had its world premiere at Sala Darsena on September 6. She was assaulted and harassed after the premiere when she went out with family members.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Badhon arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Monday, where she spoke to journalists about the incident and its aftermath. In response to a question, Badhon stated, "Those who carried out the attack are actually putting themselves in trouble. They thought they would get away with it." She further explained that the attack was not just verbal but also physical, emphasizing the need to stop such acts.
Badhon expressed concern that the incident had tarnished Bangladesh's image abroad, noting that the attack was carried out by her fellow expatriates in a manner that was distressing. She voiced her worries about the perception of Bangladesh on the international stage, urging for a change in behavior and attitudes.
She alleged that the attack was targeted due to her involvement in the July-August 2024 student-led mass movement and identified the attackers as supporters of the Awami League and the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League. Badhon called on Awami League supporters not to follow the party blindly and urged leaders to reconsider the political path they are pursuing.
Regarding support following the incident, Badhon expressed gratitude towards the director of the Venice Film Festival, the Italian government, the Bangladesh government, and the Bangladesh Embassy in Italy for their assistance. However, she mentioned feeling disowned by her own team, who barred her from participating in the remaining festival activities and from attending the Toronto International Film Festival.
Badhon acknowledged the significant support she received from some co-actors, including Sunerah, Zayneen, and Zayneen's mother. She also thanked the Bangladesh government, the prime minister, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their support. Badhon reported that government officials contacted her the night of the incident, and she received protection from the Italian authorities and festival director.
Concluding her remarks, Badhon expressed gratitude to people in Bangladesh and expatriate Bangladeshis for their support across political affiliations. She said, "Alhamdulillah, Allah does everything for the best. I will never forget the support I received from people across the country, including supporters of both the opposition and the government, regardless of their political ideology, as well as expatriate Bangladeshis."