Shakib Khan, a popular Bangladeshi actor who has also made a name for himself in Tollywood, has found himself at the center of controversy once again. Recently, a producer of one of his films, ‘Operation Agnipath’, has accused the actor of sexually assaulting a female co-producer during a shoot in Australia in 2017. This shocking allegation has sent shockwaves throughout the media, and many are eagerly waiting for Shakib’s response.
According to reports, the producer, Rahmat Ullah, has filed a written complaint against Shakib with the Bangladesh Film Artistes’ Association, claiming that the actor’s unprofessional behavior has increased the cost of the film manifold. To make matters worse, the producer has also alleged that the victim had filed a complaint against Shakib with the Australian police department back then after he was arrested in 2017, but the actor escaped after the victim was pressured to remain silent.
While there has been no official comment from Shakib himself, multiple Bangladeshi media outlets have claimed that he has accepted the rape allegations and now wants to settle things mutually. According to sources, Shakib has even met with the producer Rahmat Ullah to clear his name from the allegations and has agreed to pay back the 2 crores he received as per contract for the film. However, since the project has been shelved for so long, Rahmat does not want to resume shooting.
The Bangladesh Film Artists Association has said that they will look into the matter and hear both Shakib and the accuser’s version of events. As Shakib is a member of their association, this holds significant weight. What actually happened on the set of ‘Operation Agnipath’ remains to be seen, but this incident has brought to light the importance of professionalism and #MeToo in the Bangladeshi film industry.
