Drishyomadhyam Samaj, a platform of cultural and media personalities, has strongly condemned the attack, physical harassment and humiliation of actor Azmeri Haque Badhon in Italy and demanded a fair and impartial investigation into the incident and legal action against those responsible.
In a statement issued in protest against the incident on Wednesday, the organisation said targeting an artist because of her political position, freedom of expression or support for people subjected to oppression is not only condemnable but also a direct attack on freedom of opinion, human rights and human dignity.
The statement said Badhon and her colleagues were in Italy to represent Bangladesh at the prestigious Venice Film Festival when the incident allegedly involving a group of aggressive individuals took place, adding that the incident had tarnished Bangladesh's dignity on the international stage.
Drishyomadhyam Samaj also referred to Badhon's role during the July mass uprising, saying she, along with many other artists, had publicly expressed her position against injustice, killings, repression and oppression during the movement against authoritarian rule.
"An artist's freedom does not depend on allegiance to any particular political opinion," the statement said.
It stressed that a person who has the right to speak also has the right to remain silent, while others have the right to disagree with an artist's views. However, it said, no one has the right to insult, intimidate or physically assault an artist because of such differences.
The organisation further said opposition to a political opinion could never be a licence for violence.
"Putting hands on a woman artist, publicly harassing her and intimidating her is not the language of protest; it is sheer violence," the statement said, describing such conduct as a repetition of an old culture of 'fascist power' in which physical force replaces argument and fear replaces dialogue.
The statement also invoked the country's historical experiences of the Liberation War and the July mass uprising.
"The great Liberation War taught us that lives can be sacrificed for freedom. The July mass uprising taught us that it is possible to overcome fear and speak out," it said.
Against this backdrop, the organisation said it would not accept any attempt to intimidate, harass or attack an artist for expressing an opinion.
It said the principles of equality, human dignity and justice reflected in the spirit of 1971 and 2024 include the right to speak, the right to hold differing opinions and the right to stand against oppression.
Drishyomadhyam Samaj demanded a proper and impartial investigation into the attack, identification of those involved and their prosecution under the law.
At the same time, it expressed 'firm solidarity' with Badhon, stressing that an artist's body should never become a site of political retaliation and an artist's voice should not be held hostage by fear.
"Let there be opinions against opinions and arguments against arguments, but not violence," the organisation said.
The statement also alleged that some individuals associated with the Awami League were behind the attack, linking the incident to Badhon's political position and her public stance during the July mass uprising.
The statement was signed by a large number of artists, cultural activists and individuals from the country's creative community, including Humaira Bilkis, Munem Wasif, Ahmad Ibn Arif, Fahim Islam, Yasir Al Haq, Ziaul Islam Nahid, Sayed Uzzal, Khandaker Tanvir Murad, Dhruvo Hasan, Syeda Nilima Dola, Shimul Salahuddin, Sajib Tanvir, Mayeda Tarha Bidushy, Mosfiqur Rahman Johan, Muhibbul Muktadir Tanim, Mishuk Ashraful Awal, Abdul Halim Chanchal, Edila Farid Turin, Arif Noor, Tanim Noor, Raqiba Amatul Karim, Md Saiful Islam, Tahmid Chowdhury, Md Al Hasib Khan Ananda, Tofazzal Hossen, Sarker Protick, Taslima Akhter, Manzur Al Matin, Zahirul Islam Kochi, Sara Ahmed, Abhijit Shuvo, Tanveer Al Azad, Anarjo Murshid, Dr Aaron H Siddiqua, Susmita Ray Supti, Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, Abdullah Baig, Md Raihanur Rahman, Shayan Saman, Neamoth Ullah Masum, Ayman Asib Shadhin, Abid Sarker Shohag, Mostafizur Rahman Masud, Mushfiqur Rahman, Mohammed Romel, Mahtab Uddin, Monjurul Ekram, Mohammad Qayum, Amirul Rajiv and Mohammad Monir Hossain.
The other signatories include Shah Newaz Shaikat, Md Tanvir Rahman, Anupam Shaikat Shanto, Tanmoy Karmoker, Marzea Mithila, Manoj Pramanik, Jaheen Faruque Amin, A K M Atikuzzaman, Tanzim Wahab, Saydia Gulrukh, Hasan Robayet, Naim Ul Hasan, Momin Setu, Mahmudul Raafiq, Tajmiya Jaheen, Mozahid Md Zihad, Fariha Shams Sheuti, Laboni Mondol, Nazmus Sakib, Rafiqujjaman Farid, Rebeka Neela, Anup Kundu, Rubayet Mahmud, Abdullah Seru, Marium Rupa, Farhadul Alam, Tahmidal Zami, Mahfuz Chowdhury, Md Monwar Hossain, Krishnendu Chattopadhyay, Prof Dr Hasan Ashraf, Anis Raihan, Arunima Islam, Mir Lokman, Sadiq M Alam, Rahat Mustafiz, Snigdha Sultana, Rabin Haque, Tanha Zafreen, MD Abdul Wahab Sakin, Md Tauhidul Islam, Nazmul Ahmed, Anusheh Anadil, Firoz Ahmed and Tanvir Ahsan.