Popular actress Mehazabien Chowdhury has once again found herself in the headlines, shortly after being granted bail in a fraud case. Recent media reports claim that she was detained at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka last August after 14 bottles of alcohol were allegedly found in her luggage. While a case was expected to be filed in accordance with the law, she was later released, prompting allegations of political influence. Mehazabien, however, has described the matter as a conspiracy.
According to reports, Mehazabien, her husband, director and producer Adnan Al Rajeev, and filmmaker Shankh Dasgupta returned to Dhaka from Bangkok on flight BS-218 on August 17. Customs officials reportedly recovered 14 bottles of alcohol from their luggage as they attempted to exit through the green channel.
Under the Narcotics Control Act 2018 and the Customs Act 2023, Bangladeshi passport holders are prohibited from carrying alcohol. Foreign nationals are permitted to carry up to one litre. A customs note stated that the passengers had violated customs laws and passenger baggage regulations. The seized goods were recorded under receipt number DCH-DE-2025081520.
Airport Revenue Officer Md Motakabbir Ali, who was on duty at the time and is currently posted in Sylhet, told the media that after being detained in connection with an alleged offence, the individuals were handed over to the relevant customs branch. “The same procedure was followed in Mehazabien’s case. I do not know what happened afterwards,” he said.
Two protocol officers from Aviation Security later submitted a bond stating that they had attended the airport on the instructions of Director-2 and had no involvement in the seizure of the alcohol. They maintained that they were unaware of the matter.
There have also been allegations that former interim government cultural adviser Mustafa Sarwar Farooqui and his wife, actress Nusrat Imrose Tisha, played a role in securing Mehazabien’s release. An unnamed source claimed that following her detention, Mehazabien sought their assistance and that influence was exerted at an administrative level. No official confirmation of these claims has been provided.
After the reports surfaced, Mehazabien addressed the issue in a post on her verified Facebook page. While she did not directly deny the alcohol allegation, she wrote, “I have been targeted for some time. I was harassed in a false case, from which I was acquitted. When I focused on my work again, there was an attempt to defame me once more. Recently, AI is being used to discredit female artists. Women are easy targets. There may be certain circles behind this. I just want to focus on my work.”
Earlier, a case was filed against Mehazabien and her brother, Alisan Chowdhury, by Amirul Islam, who alleged embezzlement, threats and intimidation involving Tk27 lakh in connection with a family business partnership.
On November 16, the court issued arrest warrants against the siblings. They later surrendered before the court and were granted bail.
