Pori Moni sues businessman Nasir Mahmood, 5 others in attempted rape case

Film actress Shamsunnahar Smriti, popularly known as Pori Moni, has filed a case against a businessman, accusing him of trying to rape and murder her.

Nasir U Mahmood, a real estate businessman and entertainment and cultural affairs secretary of Dhaka Boat Club, and five others, have been named in the case.

Police have launched a manhunt to arrest the suspects, according to Savar Police Station chief Kazi Moinul Islam.

In an interview, Pori Moni alleged that everyone, including police, had tried to stop her from speaking out and seeking justice after the businessman allegedly attempted to rape and murder her.

Pori Moni initially brought the allegations in a Facebook post without naming the suspect on Sunday. Hours later, she held a media briefing and named Nasir U Mahmood, entertainment and cultural affairs secretary of Dhaka Boat Club, as her attacker.

Nasir assaulted her at the club in Dhaka’s Uttara four days ago, the actress alleged. 

After hearing the allegations of non-cooperation by police, a team of law enforcers led by OC Arifur Rahman Sardar from Rupnagar Police Station met Pori Moni at her residence at midnight on Monday.

The Dhaka Boat Club falls under the jurisdiction of the Rupnagar Police Station. The team then took Pori Moni’s statement.

Pori Moni and her family said police at the Banani Police Station were not supportive when she first tried to report the attack. They added that they had a recording of the entire conversation at the police station.

“The on-duty officer asked me to return at 10 am the next day when the OC would be there. But so many days have passed and they didn’t offer any help,” Pori Moni said on Sunday.

Noor-e Azam Mia, chief of Banani Police Station, however, denied that anyone named Shamsunnahar Smriti or Pori Moni had approached them to start a case.

‘I WON’T BE SILENCED’

Pori Moni said that many people had tried to dissuade her from reporting the assault.

“They said, ‘you’re a woman and an actress, if you say anything, people will turn on you instead’.  They tried to silence me, but I will not be silenced,” Pori Moni said.

When asked who had tried to prevent her from reporting the attack, she said: “Everyone, including the police. They told me repeatedly – ‘do you know what people will say? Will you still have your dignity?’. Does this mean I cannot speak out against the person who tried to take away my dignity? Do I have to lose mine if I dare?”

Asked why she took four days to report the allegation, she said: “Everyone gave me hope. They would comfort me and say they would handle it. But they didn’t do anything.”

“I haven’t been able to eat or sleep for four days. Everyone else has stayed silent, and so I have decided that I must speak out myself. I am the victim. I have been wronged. I want justice.”

Nasir U Mahmood, the alleged assailant, could not be reached for comment. One of his mobile phones was unreachable, while the other was picked up by an employee of Uttara Club, who said he had no idea about the incident.

A founding member of the Dhaka Boat Club, Nasir is involved in the real estate business. He is also a former president of the Uttara Club.

Pori Moni, who is a Narail native, rose to fame quickly after she joined the movie industry in 2015. She has played the lead female role in two dozen movies. Forbes magazine last year named her as one of 100 Digital Stars of Asia.

She took to Facebook seeking justice from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over the alleged attempt of rape and murder. “I was physically assaulted. There was an attempt to rape and murder me. I want justice,” she wrote.

Pori Moni said she went to the boating club with costume designer Jimmy and Jimmy’s friend Omi, both identified by one name, last Wednesday night just as it was about to close for the day.

Nasir and another man offered them a drink at that time, but she declined the offer, saying that she was feeling unwell.

She claims the people at the club then tried to force her to drink, beat her and that Nasir forced the neck of a bottle into her mouth. He also tried to rape me, she alleged.

‘ASSAULT PLANNED’

Pori Moni alleged in a written complaint to the police that the assault at the boat club was planned. She also said that she had been threatened since the incident in many ways.

Nasir, 50, costume designer Omi, 40, and four unnamed individuals were accused in the case.

In her statement, the actress said that she, costume designer Jimmy, 30, Omi, and her young relative Bonny, 20, left for the Uttara area in two separate cars around 11:30 pm on Wednesday night.

Along the way, Omi said he had to stop in at the Dhaka Boat Club in the Beribadh area for two minutes to complete a small errand. They arrived at the boating club around 12:15 am. The club was closed at the time. Omi then made a call and a security guard opened the doors.

Bonny then left the car to use a bathroom at the boat club. “After she left the bathroom, Nasir U Mahmood asked us to enter the bar and have some coffee with him,” Pori Moni said.

They tried to turn him down, but he and Omi then pressed her to drink alcohol. When she refused, Nasir forced the bottle into her mouth, damaging her lips and teeth, and compelled her to drink. He hurled insults at her, groped her body and attempted to rape her. He also broke glasses and alcohol bottles and threw the shards at her.

When costume designer Jimmy tried to stop the assault, he was beaten as well. Pori Moni attempted to call the emergency number 999 from her mobile phone and it was snatched.

Eventually, with the help of her companions, Pori Moni managed to escape in a near-unconscious state around 3 am.