Dhaka, May 19 (V7N) – Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has defended the recent arrest of actress Nusrat Faria, stating that she was apprehended in connection with a pending legal case. He clarified that remarks made by Cultural Affairs Advisor Mustafa Sarwar Farooqui, who called the arrest "embarrassing," were his personal opinion, not a reflection of government policy.

Chowdhury made these remarks while addressing the media following a law and order coordination meeting at the Secretariat on Monday, ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

"If she had been released, people would have criticized that too. There is a case against her, so the law has taken its course. However, the government remains cautious to ensure that no one suffers unnecessarily due to an arrest," he said.

Earlier in the day, Cultural Affairs Advisor Farooqui took to Facebook around 11:15 am, expressing concern over Faria’s arrest. In his post, he called the incident "embarrassing" and stressed the need for more sensitive handling of such cases, expressing hope that Faria would get legal redress.

Responding to that, the Home Affairs Advisor said, "That’s his personal opinion. The law will proceed based on facts and legal procedures."

In addition to the Faria case, Chowdhury also addressed ongoing movements in the capital, noting that while people have the right to protest, it must be done logically and peacefully. “The public must not suffer, and violence—especially attacks on law enforcement—should not be overlooked. Often, only police responses are shown, not what provoked them,” he added.

He also announced that, ahead of Eid, it has been decided that bonuses will be paid by the end of May, and salaries for garment workers will be cleared by June 3.

END/MSS/AJ