Moushumi to contest as independent candidate
Popular actress Arifa Parvin Moushumi will contest the upcoming Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association polls as an independent presidential candidate.The biannual election of Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association will be held on October 25 with actor Ilias Kanchan as the chief election commissioner.
Moushumi earlier announced that she would contest the polls from Moushumi-DA Tayeb panel. However, DA Tayeb, who was to contest for general secretary post, did not submit the nomination paper on Thursday. Consequently, Moushumi, the first woman presidential candidate in the history of Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association, said that she would be contesting as an independent candidate and submitted her nomination paper to Ilias Kanchan.
'Being part of the film industry, I feel that I have a responsibility towards the artistes working in the sector. I don't know why most actors or actresses forget their duty when they become superstars.
So I decided to contest the upcoming Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association polls as a presidential candidate,' said Moushumi. 'I was preparing a panel but those who had assured me of their support backed out at the last minute,' added Moushumi, who collected 30 forms for 21 candidates of her now defunct panel.
'A vested quarter is trying to make things difficult for me. I will request the senior artistes to stand beside me and help me exercise my rights as a film artiste. Few of my colleagues gave into the pressure and backed out. However, I will not give up and contest as an independent candidate.
Let's see what happens,' she said. Moushumi was elected as an executive member of the previous committee during the 2017 election of Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association. She did not take oath and stepped down on July 3, 2017.
Misha Sawdagar-Zayed Khan panel won the biannual election of Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association in 2017. Misha Sawdagar will contest for president post while Zayed Khan will contest for general secretary post in the upcoming election. All 21 members of the Misha-Zayed panel submitted nomination papers on Thursday.
