Salman Muqtadir’s Allegations Under Scrutiny Amid Studio Attack Controversy

The most widely discussed issue in the country is the vandalism, assault and looting at content creator Salman Muqtadir’s studio “Brownfish” at the New Guinea Properties housing project in South Manikdi, Dhaka. The incident reportedly stems from a long-standing dispute over 35 kathas of land and the use of a road between New Guinea Properties owner Nazim Uddin Bhuiyan Arzu and Major General (retd.) Golam Mohiuddin.

Police have already arrested former army officer Golam Mohiuddin Chowdhury, 66, in connection with the attack. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has sought information about Salman Mohammad Muqtadir’s bank accounts and transaction details.

Several other incidents of violence and unrest have occurred in the country in recent days. However, the controversy surrounding the vandalism of Muqtadir’s studio has drawn widespread attention. Although there were strong protests over the demolition of Mirpur-based healthcare facility Radda Hospital, the studio vandalism has remained the talk of the country.

After the incident, Salman Muqtadir went live on social media and alleged that “BNP people carried out the attack because they did not receive extortion money.” He also advised ordinary people to “leave the country or do nothing instead of doing anything in the country.”

Later, Mr. Muqtadir admitted that nobody had demanded extortion money from him and that he did not know whether anyone had demanded money from the landowner. Nevertheless, his “fake statement about BNP extortion” went viral on social media. With millions of followers, his statements were widely liked, shared and commented on, spreading the claim that “BNP is involved in extortion.”

The incident also triggered widespread reactions on social media. Without knowing whether the claim was true or false, leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and its ally NCP also reacted by tagging BNP as “extortionists.”

Because Mr. Muqtadir has millions of followers, the allegation spread nationally and internationally, causing significant reputational damage to the BNP. After the July uprising, Jamaat’s target during the interim government period was power. After its efforts to come to power through people’s votes failed, Jamaat appears to have embarked on a campaign to attach the “extortionist” tag to the ruling BNP. The question is whether this represents a responsible role for an opposition party.

Political analysts say the vandalism of Muqtadir’s studio and the dispute over the land should be investigated impartially, with the actual facts brought to light. They argue that a neutral investigation will reveal the true picture.

Political analyst Sahed Alam believes that a defamation case could be filed against Salman Muqtadir for damaging the BNP’s image by tagging the party as “extortionists.” According to him, a verdict in such a case could help restore the party’s reputation and send a strong message to social media influencers, making them more cautious about irresponsible comments.

Social media has become a powerful platform for freedom of expression in the country. But, like the proverbial story of the knife, its impact depends on how it is used. A doctor uses a knife for an operation, a butcher uses it to slaughter animals, while a robber uses it for killing or robbery. The knife itself is not responsible; its use determines the outcome.

The same applies to social media. With no strict rules governing its use, people can write, say and post whatever they want. As a result, a major technological opportunity is increasingly being used for negative purposes instead of positive ones. An impartial investigation into the Muqtadir incident and disclosure of the actual facts could send an important message to netizens and encourage them to be more cautious about unethical and irresponsible statements.

Born in 1993, Salman Muqtadir campaigned on social media in support of the “July uprising” during the anti-discrimination movement. As a result, people opposed to the former government considered him one of their own. He is one of Bangladesh’s early prominent YouTubers and content creators and is also a business entrepreneur.

His father, Hedayet Ali, is a former naval officer, and his mother’s name is Asia. Salman Muqtadir married Disha Islam on April 30, 2023. Ms. Disha had previously been married to a Sri Lankan man and has two children from that marriage. Ms. Disha’s maternal uncle is top criminal Sweden Aslam and that her father, Nazrul Islam, is a wealthy businessman involved in several bar businesses in Dhaka.

According to law enforcement sources, a long-standing dispute has existed over possession of land belonging to the New Guinea Properties housing project in the ECB Chattar area. The dispute is between New Guinea Properties owner Nazim Uddin Bhuiyan and former army officer Golam Mohiuddin Chowdhury over land and an access road.

One side claims that Mohiuddin has 35 kathas of land inside the New Guinea project but no access road. Nazim Uddin Bhuiyan and Saiful Islam Bhuiyan, however, claim that Mohiuddin had 23 kathas rather than 35 kathas. They say they purchased 15 kathas, while the remaining eight kathas belong to him.

The attack and vandalism mainly resulted from this property dispute. Salman Muqtadir had rented a house in the area and established his studio there. The attack and vandalism at the New Guinea Properties project cannot be supported, but the incident should not be compared with the recent eviction of street hawkers in Mirpur.

The city corporation’s eviction of street hawkers may be considered a timely decision, but a humanitarian question can still arise because many unemployed people depend on pavement businesses to support their families. Following the eviction, maintaining their households has become difficult. Although the eviction may have been carried out according to the law, the humanitarian issue remains.

The incident at ECB Chattar, however, is different. The article argues that it was a land dispute and should not be presented as a humanitarian issue.

Controlling social media is almost impossible. NCP has supported Salman Muqtadir because of his role in the anti-discrimination student movement. The article, however, questions why Jamaat, which follows “Islamic-oriented” politics, supported a content creator whom it describes as being related to a top criminal and connected through marriage to a family involved in the alcohol business. It also questions whether Jamaat’s position was aimed at spreading the “BNP extortionist” tag.

Even if social media cannot be fully controlled, the New Guinea Properties attack and vandalism should be properly investigated and the actual facts uncovered. The case should set an example for the future. The article notes that the “Masdar Hossain case” is still cited whenever irregularities in the judiciary are discussed.

It is hoped that social media users will keep the consequences of the “Salman Muqtadir” issue in mind before making statements or taking actions on social media in the future.