Film actor Mortuza Palash in jail over murder case; Apu Biswas’s ‘Shikar’ faces uncertainty.

News has emerged regarding the arrest of film actor Mortuza Palash in connection with a murder case filed during the anti-discrimination student movement. Police arrested him at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on August 28 upon his return from Nepal, where he had been shooting for the film *Shikar*. Palash, who is named in the case's First Information Report (FIR), is currently in jail.

According to relevant sources, he was placed on remand following his arrest. After the remand period ended, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka ordered him to be sent to jail.

Palash had been in Nepal to participate in the shooting of *Shikar*, a film co-starring Apu Biswas. Production had been underway for over 25 days when the entire team returned to the country on August 28 due to sudden floods; Palash was arrested at the airport that very day. However, the news of his arrest had not been made public until now.

A source connected to the case claims that police obtained information regarding the incident and other accused individuals from Palash during interrogation. However, law enforcement agencies have not yet issued an official statement on the matter.

Meanwhile, the remaining work on *Shikar* faces uncertainty due to Palash's imprisonment. While the majority of the film was shot in Nepal, a few scenes and songs remain to be filmed. Director Kamruzzaman Roman had planned to complete this work in October, both domestically and at other locations. However, with the lead actor in jail, he is unable to finalize the shooting schedule.

Regarding this, director Kamruzzaman Roman stated, "We successfully completed the majority of *Shikar*'s shooting in Nepal. Although we planned to finish the remaining work in October, it is currently impossible to set a final schedule because Palash is in jail."

According to the director, Palash is handling the matter legally. The production company and the entire team hope he will be released quickly through the legal process. However, if the legal complications are prolonged, they will have to make a decision based on the situation. For now, they have no alternative but to wait.

*Shikar* is a thriller film centered on a story set in a border region. Based on a screenplay by Abdullah Zahir Babu, the film features Mortuza Palash and Apu Biswas alongside Mahmudul Islam Mithu, Sumon Anwar, and West Bengal's Kharaj Mukherjee, Rajatava Dutta, and Shyam Bhattacharya.