Entertainment Desk:

Popular actress Azmeri Haque Badhan has spoken out against a wave of personal attacks and online harassment she has faced in recent days, alleging that the abuse came not only from strangers but also from individuals within her own professional circle.

In a Facebook post published recently, the National Film Award-winning actress expressed dismay over what she described as “vicious” personal attacks from colleagues in the entertainment industry after photos of her with political figures—including Rumin Farhana and VP Nur surfaced online.

She wrote, “Some of my own colleagues started attacking me—personally, viciously, and without mercy. These weren’t just strangers online. These were people I once worked with, and shared stages with.”

Badhan pointed out that some of those attacking her are themselves recipients of national awards. “But it’s not the unknown trolls that hurt me most. It’s the ones who once laughed with me, created with me—turning into wolves the moment I chose a path different from theirs,” she wrote.

In a follow-up post, Badhan reflected on an earlier and deeply personal episode; her guardianship case for her daughter where she said she was targeted in a media smear campaign.

“My ex-husband, with help from some of his service colleagues and a photojournalist known for working with Sheikh Hasina—launched a disgusting campaign against me,” she revealed. “They filled the media with false stories to prove in court that I was a ‘bad mother’ and a ‘shameless woman.'”

Recalling her emotional breakdown at a friend’s house, Badhan shared how a piece of advice changed her perspective: “You have two choices. One—you become even more violent and aggressive than him. Or two—you choose the harder path: silence, truth, and self-respect.”

Badhan said she chose the latter, which has since become her guiding principle. “Whenever someone tries to humiliate or attack me, I don’t respond. I don’t give them what they want. And that silence and self-control hurts them more than any word ever could.”

Reflecting on the broader implications, Badhan questioned the nature of public discourse in the country: “What kind of sick society are we living in, where we can’t even tolerate a different opinion without tearing someone apart? Where does humanity end the moment politics begins?”

Concluding her post, she stated, “It’s their own choice to be hateful about others… Do whatever you want. Your life, your choice!”