Celebrities, politicians condemn attack on Salman Muqtadir’s studio, express solidarity

Content creator Salman Mohammad Muqtadir’s Brownfish Studio was vandalised and looted at New Gini Properties near Dhaka’s ECB Chattar late last night (26 September), prompting reactions from celebrities and public figures on social media.

Actress Sadia Ayman described the incident as distressing and criticised extortion-related activities in a post on her verified Facebook page early today. 

She also responded to comments under the post, including comments defending those allegedly involved in the incident.

Content creator Rakin Absar also reacted to the incident on Facebook, saying Salman’s case had made him question whether it was safe to invest money in Bangladesh. 

He said he would not want to invest in the country until he felt it was safe to do so. 

Absar also questioned whether citizens were somehow responsible for the country’s current condition, while suggesting that the situation could also indicate that positive change was coming. 

Meanwhile, Golam Kebria Sarkar, another content creator, called on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to meet Salman as soon as possible, hear his account of the incident and arrange compensation for his losses. 

He also urged the authorities to identify those responsible and bring them to justice. 

Kebria said the incident had created fear among content creators over the safety of their studios and called for direct government action to remove that fear.

Among political figures, National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary also condemned the attack in a Facebook post, recalling Salman’s public support for students during the July Uprising and questioning why citizens should continue to face extortion and violence.

NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan also posted about the incident, questioning whether there was an effective government while referring to the reported attack on Salman’s studio.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) Vice-President Sadiq Kayem expressed support for Salman in a Facebook post, referring to the reported vandalism and looting and saying Bangladesh should not become anyone’s personal domain.

Other public figures also expressed solidarity with Salman and condemned the reported attack on social media.

What happened

The incident took place around 10:30pm, when a large group entered the New Guinea Properties area and vandalised several parts of the premises, including the studio. Most of the studio’s equipment, CCTV cameras and furniture were reportedly damaged or looted.

Two people were detained at the scene, according to Cantonment Police Station OC Muhammad Gias Uddin. Police said legal action was being initiated and that the reason for the attack would be established through questioning.

Salman was in Chattogram when the incident occurred and returned to Dhaka after learning about the attack. He later posted a video of the damaged studio on his verified Facebook page at around 1:33am today. 

In the video, Salman said none of his employees had been injured. He alleged that the attack was connected to an extortion dispute involving the property owner and claimed that

local BNP activists were behind it. He also said he did not believe he was the primary target.

“Those who attacked may not have known that this was my place,” he said, suggesting that the studio may have been caught in a dispute involving the property owner.

The attack caused extensive damage to the studio, with cameras, recording equipment, furniture and other production facilities reportedly damaged or taken. Salman also said the studio’s YouTube Silver and Gold Play Buttons were damaged.

A studio employee told The Business Standard that around 100 to 150 people entered the premises during the incident. The employee said staff members took shelter in a bathroom and that their phones and wallets were also taken.

Police, however, have said they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack. Cantonment Police Station OC Muhammad Gias Uddin told TBS that police went to the ECB Chattar area after receiving information about an attack on an office and brought the situation under control.

Two people were detained from the scene with a knife, the OC said, adding that legal proceedings were being initiated.

Police have detained three people over the vandalism at content creator and YouTuber Salman Muqtadir’s studio in the capital’s ECB Chattar area, saying the studio was not the target of the attack and that no extortion incident took place.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner (Cantonment Zone) Nazmul Alam later said the vandalism took place following a land dispute between the project and the owner of an adjacent plot, claiming that the incident was portrayed differently in the media.

He told UNB that police were working on the incident