Complaint Filed Against Three Over July Movement Posts including Shaon and Mahi

A written complaint has been filed with Shahbagh Police Station in Dhaka against three individuals, including actress Meher Afroz Shaon and film actress Mahiya Mahi, over allegations of making derogatory remarks and spreading misinformation on social media regarding the July Revolution and the memory of its martyrs and injured protesters. The third accused is Shanta Farzana.

The complaint was submitted on Friday morning by three central leaders of the socio-political organization Rashtra Sanglap Forum (SDF). Shahbagh Police Station Duty Officer Sub-Inspector Swapan confirmed the matter on Friday night.

According to police sources, the complainants initially sought to file a criminal case directly against the accused. However, in accordance with police procedure, the complaint was first accepted as a written complaint for preliminary review. Sub-Inspector Raihan of Shahbagh Police Station has been assigned to conduct the initial investigation into the matter. At the same time, the complaint has been forwarded to the Cyber Crime Unit of the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for forensic examination and digital verification of the accused individuals' Facebook accounts and the video links cited in the complaint.

Allegations in the complaint

The complaint, signed by Anam Ayas, Member Secretary of Rashtra Sanglap Forum, Tuhin Farazi, and the organization's Chief Organizer Muhammad Shah Alam Badsha, states that the July movement has become a historic chapter in Bangladesh's history through the blood and unprecedented sacrifices of more than 1,400 martyrs and over 30,000 injured protesters. It alleges that certain individuals have continued to engage in activities on social media and in public that insult the movement and its legacy.

Regarding Shanta Farzana, the complaint alleges that she posted a video on her personal Facebook profile showing a person throwing a shoe at and striking the July memorial monument, describing the act as deeply disrespectful to the memory of the martyrs and one that provoked widespread public outrage.

Regarding Meher Afroz Shaon, the complaint alleges that in several video messages she attempted to portray the July movement as a "planned or staged event" and made derogatory remarks about both the state and the movement.

Regarding Mahiya Mahi, the complaint alleges that she published statements on her social media accounts mocking participants in the July movement and various student organizations by comparing their activities to "acting." The complainants claim that these remarks severely demeaned students involved in the anti-discrimination movement, members of various political parties, and ordinary protesters.

A senior source at Shahbagh Police Station said that if the digital investigation conducted by the DB Cyber Crime Unit verifies the authenticity of the social media posts or videos and confirms that they contain offensive content, the complaint will be formally recorded as a regular First Information Report (FIR), and legal proceedings may lead to the arrest of Shaon, Mahi, and others concerned.

//DBTech/SI/MI/OR//