‘This
was
a
government
that
wanted
nobody
outside
Bangladesh
to
know
that
they
were
simply
inept
and
run
by
a
highly
authoritarian
leader
who
was
afraid
of
any
criticism
towards
herself.’
A
mural
of
Prime
Minister
Sheikh
Hasina
vandalised
by
protesters
as
people
celebrate
her
resignation
in
Dhaka.
Photograph:
Mohammad
Ponir
Hossain/
Reuters
Let
justice
prevail
in
Bangladesh,
Film-maker
Hansal
Mehta
said,
recalling
the
threats
he
received
for
his
2022
film
Faraaz,
which
was
based
on
a
terror
attack
in
Dhaka
and
is
still
banned
in
the
country
as
it
allegedly
portrayed
that
country’s
authorities
in
a
‘poor
light’.
Mehta
shared
a
lengthy
post
on
X
as
he
saw
the
events
unfold
in
Bangladesh.
Sheikh
Hasina
resigned
as
prime
minister
and
left
the
country
following
massive
protests
with
extraordinary
scenes
of
crowds
swarming
the
streets
of
the
capital
and
vandalising
the
statue
of
Sheikh
Mujibur
Rahman.
Aditya
Rawal
and
Zahaan
Kapoor
in
Faraaz.
Mehta
termed
Hasina,
the
76-year-old
daughter
of
the
Bangladesh
founder,
a
‘highly
authoritarian
leader’
who
was
afraid
of
criticism
towards
herself.
‘The
release
of
Faraaz
based
on
the
Holey
Artisan
Bakery,
Dhaka
attack
of
2016
was
sought
to
be
stalled
for
nearly
18
months.
I
was
visited
at
home
by
the
otherwise
very
amiable
Bangladesh
high
commissioner
of
the
time,
I
was
constantly
threatened
by
sources
supposedly
from
the
Indian
‘cabinet
secretariat’,’
Mehta
posted.
‘I
received
multiple
calls
from
high
ranking
police
officials,
alleged
secret
service
agents,
I
have
been
accorded
police
protection
for
perceived
threats
from
terror
organisations,
was
put
through
lengthy
litigation
in
Indian
courts,
was
levelled
rude
allegations
by
many
who
said
‘this
is
not
your
story
to
tell’,
am
still
battling
bogus
litigation
in
the
Bangladesh
courts…’
A
man
holding
a
Bangladesh
flag
stands
in
front
of
a
vehicle
that
was
set
on
fire
at
Ganabhaban,
the
prime
minister’s
official
residence
in
Dhaka,
August
5,
2024.
Photograph:
Mohammad
Ponir
Hossain/
Reuters
Faraaz,
which
echoes
the
religion
versus
radicalism
debate,
stars
Zahaan
Kapoor,
Aditya
Rawal,
Juhi
Babbar
and
Aamir
Ali.
More
than
100
people
have
been
killed
in
the
protests
against
the
Hasina
government
over
the
last
two
days.
Bangladesh
has
been
witnessing
fierce
demonstrations
over
the
controversial
quota
system
that
reserves
30
per
cent
of
jobs
for
the
families
of
veterans
who
fought
the
1971
liberation
war.
In
his
post,
Mehta
said
the
Bangladesh
government
wanted
to
cover
up
‘their
bloodied
hands’
by
banning
the
film.
‘All
this
to
halt
the
release
of
a
film
that
apparently
showed
Sheikh
Hasina’s
government
and
machinery
in
poor
light.
This
was
a
government
that
wanted
nobody
outside
Bangladesh
to
know
that
they
were
simply
inept
and
run
by
a
highly
authoritarian
leader
who
was
afraid
of
any
criticism
towards
herself.’
‘They
wanted
to
cover
up
their
bloodied
hands
by
shutting
our
voice
and
our
right
to
tell
a
story
that
is
a
mirror
to
our
times,
a
study
of
our
youth,
a
critique
of
authoritarian
governments
and
majoritarian
states.’
Director
Hansal
Mehta.
Photograph:
Kind
courtesy
Zahaan
Kapoor/Instagram
The
director,
known
for
acclaimed
movies
like
Shahid,
Aligarh
and
Omerta,
said
he
hopes
the
citizens
of
Bangladesh
receive
justice.
‘I
hope
justice
will
be
served
to
the
people
of
Bangladesh
and
every
country
that
might
be
vulnerable
to
such
an
establishment.
Let
equality,
truth
and
justice
always
prevail.
Let
every
citizen
of
the
free
world
stand
tall,’
he
added.
After
Hasina’s
resignation,
Bangladesh
army
chief
General
Waqar-uz-Zaman
announced
that
an
interim
government
is
taking
over
the
country.
Soon
after
the
army
chief’s
announcement,
hundreds
of
people
took
to
the
streets,
celebrating
Hasina’s
ouster.
