The Actors’ Equity Association has suspended the memberships of Tanjin Tisha and Samia Othoi indefinitely over an on-set dispute, citing their failure to comply with arbitration committee directives and respond to repeated official notices.
The decision was made after both actresses allegedly ignored two rulings issued by the association’s arbitration committee and did not provide explanations despite being served show-cause notices.
Separate suspension notices were issued to the actresses on 4 October and were signed by the association’s General Secretary, Rashed Mamun Apu, and Organising Secretary, Masud Rana Mithu.
According to the notices, both actresses were served show-cause notices on 7 July regarding the proposed suspension of their memberships. As neither responded, the executive committee, acting on recommendations from the arbitration committee, decided at a regular meeting to suspend their memberships indefinitely.
Speaking to TIMES, Rashed Mamun Apu said the association’s arbitration committee operates independently to settle disputes among members.
“The committee summoned both actresses and reached two decisions. They were asked to issue an apology statement and submit a video message. However, neither complied with those decisions,” he said.
Apu said the association sent multiple letters seeking a response but received none. The letters were returned undelivered and attempts to contact the actresses by phone were also unsuccessful.
“After a considerable period, the arbitration committee recommended to the executive committee that their memberships be cancelled,” he said.
He added that the organisation remained committed to maintaining discipline and professionalism within the industry.
The dispute stems from an incident on 3 March, when Samia Othoi went live on Facebook and accused Tanjin Tisha of slapping and scratching her during the shooting of a television drama in Manikganj.
The drama, directed by Rafat Majumder Rinku, also starred Shahiduzzaman Selim, Momena and Mir Rabbi.
According to Othoi, she had brought a gift for Tisha as a gesture of respect, but the actress declined to accept it. She later alleged that Tisha physically assaulted her during the first scene of the following day’s shoot and said she would seek justice through the Actors’ Equity Association.
Tisha’s side, however, maintained that the slap was part of the script and required for the scene.
Director Rafat Majumder Rinku told media that Tisha portrayed a character with special needs, while Othoi played a woman with a personality disorder, and that the slapping scene was included in the screenplay.
On 4 March, a day after the allegations surfaced, the Actors’ Equity Association issued a statement, without naming either actress, reminding members that taking disputes to social media or the media before informing the organisation violated its code of conduct.
The association warned that disciplinary action could be taken against members found to have breached the code and stressed that disputes should be resolved through institutional mechanisms rather than through social media or public opinion.
