Zayed Khan shocked by claims linking him to the assault on Khaleda Zia
Yesterday, a lawsuit was filed against 50 people, including three celebrities: Zayed Khan, Shariar Nazim Joy, and Sazu Khadem. The charges stem from an alleged attack on the motorcade of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at the Fakirapool intersection in April 2015.
Actor Zayed Khan discovered last night that he was named in the case and was taken aback by the news. Speaking to Prothom Alo from Canada, Zayed Khan expressed, "I am stunned and shocked. The abrupt involvement of my name in this false case is deliberate."
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In response to the case, he stated, "Every artiste is entitled to their political beliefs; it is supposed to be personal and subjective. However, I have never engaged in anything improper or controversial. Yesterday, I learned that a case has been filed against me, accusing me of vandalising a car in an attempted murder incident nine years ago. There were hundreds of journalists at that time, and the news was widely covered. If I had been involved, it would have been a major headline then. I don't support filing cases against artistes indiscriminately with malicious intentions."
Zayed stated that the country is undergoing a change. Everybody has the right to live freely, and everyone should have their civil rights. However, if anyone's career is obstructed while striving towards these goals, the cultural sector will never progress.
He continued, "By filing false cases indiscriminately, many actual criminals are being protected. These cases are being used to hold us back, as artistes. I can confidently say that I have never been part of any rallies or meetings. I haven't done anything against the country or committed any treasonous acts. If anyone can prove otherwise, they are free to take legal action against me. If I have caused any harm, I am ready to face the consequences. However, if false cases continue being fabricated, it will remove faith in our independence."
Previously, Zayed Khan served two terms as the general secretary of the Film Artistes' Association. In the 2022 association elections, he competed against Nipun Akter. Although Zayed won the vote, Nipun contested the result, leading to a court case. Zayed lost the case, which sparked further legal disputes. During this period, Zayed came into the spotlight and continued to gain attention through various means, including controversial comments on marriage and women. He also made headlines by involving himself in viral incidents, which eventually led to him being trolled.
"I have never been involved in any treasonous activities or taken out any bank loans. I have not committed any wrongdoing or spoken negatively about BNP, nor do I have the right to do so. If a baseless case is filed now, what value does this freedom have in 2024? Regardless of who it is—me or anyone else—if a crime is committed, it should be addressed by filing a case and ensuring justice according to the law. However, I am both shocked and appalled by the filing of such absurd and intentionally motivated cases," said the actor.
In conclusion, Zayed said, "If cases are fabricated against artistes in this manner, it will spread fear in the media, creating an unhealthy work environment for us. I certainly support filing cases when there are legitimate allegations of misconduct. However, I do not support indiscriminate, malicious cases. I have seen similar cases filed against Shakib Al Hasan as well. Such cases should be stopped in the interest of the country's honour. However, if someone is genuinely connected to the issue, that's a different matter."
Zayed Khan's latest film, "Sonar Chor", was released during Eid-ul-Fitr. No other films of his have been released since then. The last film before that was "Antor Jala" which came out six years ago. Recently, Zayed acted in a film with Kolkata actress Sayantika, but the film remains unfinished. There were also plans for him to work with another Tollywood actress, Puja Banerjee.
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