Bodyguards of film actress Parimoni have been accused of beating a litigant and splitting his head open at the Dhaka court compound, where she had come to seek bail. They are also accused of assaulting journalists, snatching their phones and blocking people from entering the courtroom.
The alleged incidents took place today at the Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court premises, according to the victims. Parimoni surrendered before the court after an arrest warrant was issued in a case filed by businessman Nasir Uddin Mahmud. Judicial Magistrate Mahfuzur Rahman granted her bail on a bond of Tk 500 after the hearing. She was accompanied by 11 bodyguards dressed in black.
Sujon Chandra, a litigant, alleged that he suffered a head injury after being hit by one of the bodyguards in front of the court. His elder brother said the two had come to court over a family land dispute and were standing outside when two of Parimoni’s bodyguards pushed them and struck Sujon on the head. He began bleeding, and some people at the scene advised them to seek treatment at a nearby hospital.
Parimoni arrived at the court premises in a white private car at around 9:30am and got out at 11:40am. She first entered a wrong courtroom, then another, before reaching the right one at 11:55am. Her bodyguards were accused of preventing journalists and several lawyers from entering the courtroom and of misconduct. Lawyers and journalists present protested. The bail hearing was held amid overcrowding and chaos.
After the hearing, the bodyguards were also accused of beating several journalists downstairs and taking their phones. The journalists later got the phones back. Before getting into her car, Parimoni herself accused a man of touching her and expressed anger. The man, who was holding a phone, denied the allegation and said he was filming.
Her lawyer Nilanjana Rifat said she had not seen the incidents but that they would be unfortunate if they had occurred. She said police should have provided greater security.
The court had fixed yesterday for recording testimony in the case, in which Nasir alleges that Parimoni threw a glass and a mobile phone at him and threatened him at the Dhaka Boat Club in June 2021. Parimoni did not appear, and the court rejected a time petition filed on her behalf, cancelled her bail and ordered an arrest warrant.
