Actress Nipun barred from London-bound flight over intelligence objections
Actress Nipun Akter was barred from boarding a London-bound flight from Sylhet Osmani International Airport this morning (Friday). Immigration police, acting on instructions from intelligence agencies, stopped the former general secretary of the Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association (BFAA) as she was preparing to depart.
Officer-in-charge of the airport's Immigration Police, Mostafa Nur-e-Bahar, confirmed that Nipun was prevented from boarding due to directives from intelligence bodies. "She left the airport of her own accord," he added. Nipun was scheduled to fly to London on Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-201, which departed at 10:45 am without her.
An intelligence officer at the airport, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "Nipun Akter's passport was offloaded following objections raised by the National Security Intelligence (NSI) and other agencies." He clarified that although Nipun was not allowed to board the flight, she was "neither detained nor arrested" and was later sent home.
Nipun's unexpected travel restriction follows her involvement in political activities and close association with influential figures within the Awami League. After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, Nipun faced criticism for her connections with Sheikh Hasina's cousin, Sheikh Selim.
In the months leading up to the government's fall, Nipun had expressed interest in joining politics, particularly running for a reserved women's seat in the 12th National Parliament. She had collected the nomination form from the Awami League, intending to represent the Chattogram region.
Since the government's collapse, Nipun has largely stayed out of the public eye, fueling speculation about her political ambitions and future plans.
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