No one will be spared over attack on Badhon: PM’s Adviser Zahed

No one will be spared over the attack on actress Azmeri Haque Badhon in Italy, Prime Minister’s Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday.

The government has already contacted the Italian government over the incident and legal action is being pursued, Zahed said in response to a question from journalists at a weekly briefing at the Secretariat.

Badhon was attacked and harassed on Monday night after she went to a local park with her brother and his family. She has already filed a written complaint with the local police in Italy over the incident.

Badhon travelled to Italy to attend the screening of her latest film The Difficult Bride at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.

She said she was attacked by activists of the Awami League and Chhatra League in Venice and feared the attackers might kill her, judging by the way they assaulted her.

Badhon said the attackers threw water, soft drinks and eggs at her and physically assaulted her.

“They hit me, knocked my phone to the ground and struck me near my ear,” she said in a Facebook Live video following the attack.

Badhon’s brother’s child was with them during the incident. In a video of the incident, someone can be heard trying to stop the attackers, referring to the presence of the child.

In videos shared by people identifying themselves as Awami League activists, they claimed the attack was carried out on behalf of the Awami League’s Italy unit.

Badhon’s sister-in-law was also shoved by the attackers.

Responding to the incident, Adviser Zahed criticised the Awami League, saying, “I do not consider the Awami League a political party; it is a mafia gang.”

“Being attacked by a mafia gang proves that Badhon was on the right path,” he said.