Actors Equity issues show-cause notices to Sazu Khadem, Urmila Srabonti Kar
The controversy surrounding the WhatsApp group "Alo Ashbei" has shaken Actors Equity Bangladesh, leading to show-cause notices being issued to two executive members, Sazu Khadem and Urmila Srabonti Kar.
Sazu Khadem is serving as the organisational secretary of the association, while Urmila Srabonti Kar is the legal and welfare secretary.
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The Whatsapp group, allegedly formed to strategise against the anti-discrimination student movement, has sparked widespread discussion, particularly because several high-ranking members of Actors Equity Bangladesh have been involved.
In response to the controversy, a faction of artistes is demanding a complete overhaul of the association, accusing it of favouritism. As tensions escalate, Actors Equity has issued show-cause notices to two executive members directly linked to the group.
Ahsan Habib Nasim, president of Actors Equity Bangladesh, confirmed the development. "During an executive committee meeting on September 5, it was decided to issue show-cause letters against them," he stated.
"The letters were dispatched on September 7, and they have seven working days to respond. Failure to provide a satisfactory explanation will lead to further action."
Nasim explained that the notices were issued under Section 7.5 of the association's constitution, which allows the questioning of members engaged in activities harmful to it.
Both Sazu and Urmila have acknowledged receiving the letters but are yet to submit their responses.
However, a critical question remains—why were only these two members singled out, when there are other members who were also linked to the "Alo Ashbei" group? Nasim's comments suggest that Sazu and Urmila were the only elected representatives from the organisation involved, while other members did not hold leadership positions.
On September 3, screenshots from the "Alo Ashbei" WhatsApp group were leaked, revealing a group of over a hundred media personalities, including prominent MPs, ministers, and industry professionals and their discussions supporting the former regime's atrocities.
As this controversy shook Actors Equity Bangladesh, its president called for a general meeting on September 28 to address the growing mistrust within the organisation.
The leaked chats of the WhatsApp group, reportedly led by former state minister Mohammad Ali Arafat and former MP and actor Ferdous Ahmed, involved 160 members, including pro-Awami League artistes and journalists like Aruna Biswas, Sohana Saba, Shamima Tusty, Riaz Ahmed, Suborna Mustafa, and Azizul Hakim, among others.
Aruna Biswas, whose remarks sparked outrage, has relocated to Canada recently, while most other members remain in the country, maintaining a low profile.
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