'An embarrassing situation is being created,' hence legal notice to Pori Moni
Actress Pori Moni got into an altercation with media personnel while arriving at court on November 5 to surrender in a case filed by businessman Nasir Uddin Mahmud. File photo.
A legal notice has been served to film actress Pori Moni on allegations of misbehaving with journalists on court premises and insulting the national anthem. She has been asked to apologize unconditionally in writing within seven days and to refrain from such activities in the future. The notice also mentions that Pori Moni's recent activities are creating an "embarrassing" situation (for the public).
On Sunday, Supreme Court lawyer Khandaker Hasan Shahriar posted this notice to Shamsunnahar Smriti, alias Pori Moni, at the addresses of the president and general secretary of the Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association.
The notice asked her to completely refrain from all kinds of obscene words or dialogues, threats, obscene acting, obscene gestures, obscene naked or semi-naked dancing—whether recorded and displayable through film, video, audio-visual images, still images, graphics, or any other means—and which have no artistic or educational value.
In addition, the notice asked the president and general secretary of the Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association to issue a show-cause notice to film actress Pori Moni within the next seven days and take necessary punitive action against her. Otherwise, appropriate legal action will be taken, the notice stated.
The notice said that Shamsunnahar Smriti, alias Pori Moni, surrendered on November 5 in a case filed by businessman Nasir Uddin Mahmud and secured bail from the court. Around 11:40 am, while getting out of the car and heading toward the courtroom, when journalists wanted to take photos and videos of Pori Moni, there was a scuffle between her security guards and the journalists. At that time, Shamsunnahar Smriti, alias Pori Moni, snatched the mobile phone of Samakal's multimedia reporter Rabiul Hossain. Even the tripod used for video recording was broken by the security guards accompanying Pori Moni.
In the scuffle on the court premises that day, Jagonews reporter Ashikuzzaman and multimedia reporter Abdullah Al Kausar, and Agamir Samay reporter Siam Hossain and Times Two's Shah Riaz were injured. A litigant named Sujan Chandra Moni Das was also injured that day. Reports were also published in the media that blood came out from that person's head after it was cut. Ensuring everyone's security on court premises is the responsibility of the state and the administration. Therefore, no one has the legal right to control the court environment or display muscle power through multiple personal security guards.
The legal notice said that later, after coming out of the court, Pori Moni rushed toward Samakal's multimedia reporter Rabiul Hossain's right hand—which is completely reserved (the right hand is congenitally smaller than the left hand, three fingers are missing, and he cannot perform normal tasks with this hand)—and said, "Come here." Why did you hold my hand like this?
Along with using obscene language, she openly threatened to kill him, saying, "I will have you killed." The video footage of this was broadcast in the media. Such behavior by Pori Moni toward a professional journalist is not only an attack on his professional dignity but also a threat to the environment of independent journalism and the performance of media duties. The notice warned that such controversial activities from a film actress like Pori Moni are in no way desirable.
The legal notice further said that on November 6, Pori Moni posted obscene words on her own verified Facebook page using Bangladesh's national anthem as music. Various media outlets have already published news about these controversial activities. Those were also shared on social media. The comment boxes of the published news were filled with various negative comments.
In the legal notice, Advocate Khandaker Hasan Shahriar said, "Since you, Shamsunnahar Smriti, alias Pori Moni, are a film actress, many people imitate and follow your behavior, gestures, speech, conduct, dance, clothing, and movements. As a result, through controversial activities like your obscene words, gestures, threats to kill a journalist on court premises, and obscene posts with the national anthem, children, adolescents, and young people may be extensively influenced by this behavior. Images of these widely discussed incidents keep flashing on televisions, computers, and mobile phones. They are seeing them. As a result, an embarrassing situation is being created."
