‘With your extortion, you can’t take away my dream’: Salman Muqtadir alleges BNP-linked men vandalised studio

Popular content creator and actor Salman Muqtadir has alleged that men arriving in two trucks vandalised his studio in Dhaka’s ECB Chatter, claiming those involved were linked to the ruling BNP and accusing them of attempting to extort him.

Salman made the allegations in a video uploaded to his verified Facebook profile, which has more than four million followers.

“This is very normal in Bangladesh,” Salman said with his characteristic dry humour as he surveyed the damage inside the studio.

He described the facility as the only studio in the country offering its particular combination of aesthetics and facilities.

“There was no such studio like this,” he said.

Footage shared by Salman showed extensive damage to the premises. He said the attackers had tried to take equipment and other belongings.

“They couldn’t take the large-screen TV, so they broke it,” he said.

Despite appearing composed and occasionally smiling in the video, Salman said his reaction should not be mistaken for resignation.

“Now you might ask why I am so composed and calm and why I am smiling,” he said.

He alleged that independent entrepreneurs without political connections or powerful backing remained vulnerable in Bangladesh.

“Bangladesh is such a country in which, if you want to do something and for that you don’t want to bootlick someone, if you don’t follow any political party, this is what will happen to you,” Salman said.

“If you don’t have strong backup, I am discouraging you from doing anything here.”

Salman directly blamed people he described as belonging to the BNP for the vandalism, although Daily Waadaa could not independently verify the allegation.

“I have never felt stronger than this. I feel the strongest right now,” he said. “Whoever broke this, these BNP people who did this — with your extortion, you can’t take away my dream.”

Salman said he had the financial ability to rebuild, but warned that most Bangladeshis facing similar destruction would not have that option.

“I have the means to stand up from these ruins. Ninety-nine percent of people in Bangladesh don’t,” he said.

At one point, Salman turned towards the camera and addressed Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed directly.

“I have no complaints to you,” he said. “Well done.”

Waadaa contacted Cantonment Police Station, where duty officer Md Sarwar said Salman Muqtadir was at the station filing a written complaint over the incident.

“We are aware of the incident and will take necessary measures,” Sarwar said.

Salman, one of Bangladesh’s early-generation Youtube personalities, has worked across digital content, acting, music and commercial productions.

His YouTube channel, SalmoN TheBrownFish, has around 1.7 million subscribers, according to publicly available channel analytics.

The studio represented an expansion of his long involvement in video and commercial production. Salman has previously described video-making and digital marketing among his main professional interests and has worked in production and digital media for years.

Waadaa could not immediately independently establish the identities or political affiliations of those involved in the vandalism.

There was also no immediate response available from the BNP or the Home Ministry to Salman’s allegations.

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