Bangladesh turmoil: In a shocking development, a film producer in Bangladesh who had connections with West Bengal's film industry, was lynched by an unruly mob along with his son as violent protests gripped the country earlier this week. Selim Khan, the infamous chairman of Lakshmipur Model Union Parishad (UP) and his son, the actor Shanto Khan, were beaten to death on Monday.
According to Dhaka Tribune, the actor-producer duo were trying to flee from their area when they encountered an enraged mob at Forkkabad Bazaar in Balia Union. The father and son fired shots from their pistols to deter the crowd and protect themselves, but encountered another mob nearby.
Selim Khan and his son Shanto were thrashed by the mob and later succumbed to their injuries while violence engulfed other parts of the country in the form of police firings, mob violence and clashes between student groups that left over 100 dead on Monday. Selim Khan had been accused by locals of illegally extracting sand from the Padma-Meghna river, a case that landed him in prison and in an ongoing case at the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Selim was seen as the proprietor and director of Shapla Media, which has produced several popular films, including ‘Shahenshah’ and ‘Bidrohi’. As a producer, he was seen close to ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He produced a biopic on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina's father and the first President of Bangladesh, titled 'Bangabandhu'.
As per reports, his film 'Tungi Parar Miya Bhai' based on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's childhood and youth launched the career of his son Shanto Khan, who later acted in several other movies under his father’s production banner. This is the first time an actor who portrayed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the silver screen, has been murdered in the country.
Actress Kaushani Mukhopadhyay, who starred opposite Shanto Khan in the Bangladeshi film Piya Re, was deeply affected by his death. "I can’t believe he is no more. Shanto was very respectful and had ambitions to make a significant impact in the industry," she recalled.
Meanwhile, several Bengali actors have expressed concerns over the unfolding scenes in Bangladesh. "My prayers are for the people of Bangladesh in this difficult time... It is heartbreaking to witness such tragic scenes. I hope this difficult time will pass soon," said Tollywood actor Jeet in a post on X.
Another Bengali superstar Dev, whose friend and Bangladeshi producer Salim Khan and his actor son Shanto were beaten to death in Chandpur on Monday, said, "I had been to Bangladesh several times and floored by the hospitality of the people there." Salim Khan had co-produced Dev's unreleased film 'Commando.' Bangladeshi actress Pori Moni, who had recently worked with a Tollywood director, called for peace in a Facebook post.
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