A Facebook post by actor Omar Sani has once again placed him at the centre of political discussion. In a status shared late on Monday night, February 9, Sunny issued a public challenge, posting a photograph and asking critics to provide evidence of any political benefit he received during the Awami League government.
Soon after the post went live, social media users began revisiting the political activities of his wife, popular actress Mousumi. Netizens recalled that she had once sought an Awami League nomination and had even held a press conference with the intention of contesting for a reserved women’s seat in parliament.
On January 16, 2019, Mousumi collected a nomination form from the Awami League’s Dhanmondi political office, an event that drew considerable public attention, with crowds gathering to take selfies with the actress. However, she was ultimately not granted a party nomination. Since then, Mousumi has not been actively involved in party politics and has been living in the US for an extended period.
The renewed scrutiny comes amid increased involvement of showbiz figures in the ongoing election campaign. In recent days, several entertainers, including Monir Khan, Robi Chowdhury and actress Shimla, have publicly sought votes for BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman. This has triggered backlash online, with critics pointing to their perceived closeness to the Awami League in the past.
The case of actress Shimla has further intensified the debate. She had previously collected nomination papers to contest elections under the Awami League’s boat symbol, yet is now campaigning for votes using the rice husk symbol, a shift that has drawn widespread attention on social media.
Against this backdrop, many observers view Omar Sani’s Facebook post as an attempt to clarify his stance and distance himself from allegations of political alignment.
Within 13 hours of being posted, the status drew nearly 29,000 reactions and around 4,000 comments. Public response has been divided, with some branding the family as Awami League supporters, while others question the relevance of past political associations.
Political analysts note that the public positioning of entertainment figures during the final phase of the election is influencing not only electoral discourse but also the tone of social media debate, as voters increasingly scrutinise artists for their previous political roles.
