Artistes receive at least five threats per Facebook post: Siam Ahmed

Popular actor Siam Ahmed has been a consistent voice of support for the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, alongside many of his colleagues in the entertainment industry. Their outspoken stance has been widely praised so those who chose silence or responded late have doubtlessly faced significant backlash from the general public.

In a recent discussion with a private television channel, the candid actor addressed this controversy, shedding light on the complexities artistes face when speaking out on far-reaching issues.

"The challenges that we face as artistes are very different from the ordinary people. All of us, working in the different sectors of the entertainment industry and art, have to face many obstacles to come forward and take a stand for what is right," Siam explained.

He acknowledged the praise received by those who were at the forefront of the movement but also emphasised the need to understand the silence of others. "Those who led the charge in supporting the anti-discrimination student movement praised everyone who spoke out while condemning those who chose to stay silent. However, I want to clear the air about this today," he stated.

The actor revealed that fear played a significant role in the silence of some celebrities. "They could not come forward because of fear. People need to know that when we post something on Facebook, we receive threats from different influential groups. Regardless of our respective political backgrounds, we receive threats for each of our posts and have to answer for why we said what we said," Siam said, highlighting the pressures and risks that come with voicing opinions in a politically charged environment.

Siam also touched on the broader issue of censorship and the lack of freedom for artistes in Bangladesh. "If we don't feel free and independent, how can we express ourselves? As artistes, it's our core duty to represent the people and the country. To create a project we basically take inspiration from people's lives and wants. However, due to the undue censorship imposed by the previous ruling party, it had not been possible to either do that or even speak unabashedly about it," he remarked, underscoring the struggle for artistic freedom in the face of external pressures.

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