Filmmaker Behind Shakib Khan Ban Now Banned Himself
Shakib Khan and Badiul Alam Khokon
The year was 2017. Shakib Khan was already going through a difficult period in his career when he was banned from the film industry. Filmmaker Badiul Alam Khokon played a key role in that decision. Nine years later, Khokon himself has been banned by his own organization and expelled for life.
Thirteen film industry organizations, including the Film Directors' Association, imposed the ban on Shakib Khan. Explaining the decision at the time, Khokon said, “Shakib Khan has made remarks against film directors in various newspapers, which he believes are disrespectful. Since directors lead a film unit, speaking against them is an insult to everyone involved in filmmaking. For this reason, members of all organizations have decided not to take part in any film shoots or dubbing work involving Shakib Khan until further notice.”
B Shakib Khan, however, alleged that the then secretary general of the Directors' Association had acted against him due to personal hostility. Khokon denied the allegation.
“Absolutely not. I am signing off on the issues that have gone against Shakib, but the opinion is shared by everyone. He has harassed people in various ways at different times. This is the collective expression of anger from all directors and film professionals,” Khokon had said.
That same year, director Shamim Ahmed Roni was also banned for shooting a film featuring Shakib Khan.
Nine years later, however, the Film Directors' Association, the organization Khokon once led in coordinating the 13 organizations, expelled him for life during its annual general meeting on Saturday.
Gazi Mahbub, an executive committee member of the Directors' Association, told Agamir Somoy, “The decision to expel them was made because they damaged the image of the association.”
A source said that about a year ago, Badiul Alam Khokon filed a case seeking the cancellation of the Film Directors' Association election. The case named filmmaker Abdul Latif Bachchu as the principal accused. Bachchu recently passed away. The source claimed that the incident harmed the association’s image.
There were also allegations that Megh and Riju, described as associates of Khokon, had spread hate on social media. The association expelled them as well.
Badiul Alam Khokon directed several blockbuster films starring Shakib Khan, including Priya Amar Priya and Number One Shakib Khan.
