I never bow my head and never will: Badhon

“I never bow my head and never will. Breaking me is not easy.” Bangladeshi actress Azmeri Haque Badhon made the statement after allegedly being harassed by a group of expatriate Bangladeshis in Venice, Italy, where she is attending the Venice Film Festival.

Badhon alleged that a group of people identifying themselves as members of the Venice Awami League and Chhatra League threw water and rotten eggs at her on Monday night. She spoke about the incident during a live session on her verified Facebook page on Tuesday.

Expressing gratitude to those who supported her, Badhon said she was in good health and thanked everyone who had checked on her.

“She said, “I’m Azmeri Haque Badhon. Some leaders and activists identifying themselves as members of the Venice Awami League and Chhatra League committed this incident against me last night. After the incident, many people checked on me by phone, Messenger and other means. To them, I want to say that I’m in good health. I never bow my head and never will. Breaking me is not easy,”

“The local police helped me a lot. The Bangladesh ambassador called me, and a person from his office also came. We are now going to file a case over the incident. We have enough evidence, and we have also identified some of those involved. The Prime Minister’s Office in Bangladesh also called me,” the actress added. 

According to Badhon, the incident was allegedly linked to her support for the July-August 2024 movement in Bangladesh. She said the attackers called her a “July fighter” and that she proudly accepted the identity. 

“I’m grateful for the way everyone supported me. I’m a proud Bangladeshi because I stood beside my country during the July Uprising. I want to say that I’m proudly a July fighter, and this was one of the best decisions of my life. Badhon was not born a coward. Intimidating me or breaking me is not easy.”

The actress said her brother and his family were with her at the time, and her three-year-old nephew became frightened and screamed during the incident.

“I’m only worried and upset about my brother and his family, who were with me. His three-year-old child was very scared during the incident. This is not tolerable, she said.”  

Badhon added that she would not return to Bangladesh from Venice without filing a case over the alleged incident. “I want to say that I will not return to Bangladesh from Venice without filing the case. Keep me in your prayers,” she concluded. 

Several videos circulating on social media purportedly show a group of people confronting Badhon and identifying themselves as Chhatra League activists. They can allegedly be heard calling her a “July fighter” while attempting to confront her.

Badhon further alleged that her phone was snatched and that she was hit on the ear during the incident. She claimed the attackers introduced themselves as “Bangabandhu’s soldiers” and pressured her to say “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu.” She also said that they were recording and livestreaming the incident.