Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed

Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed
কাজী নওশাবা আহমেদ
NationalityBangladeshi
Alma materUniversity of Dhaka
Occupation(s)Model, Actress
Years active2004–present

Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed is a Bangladeshi actress, voice artist, painter, puppeteer, director and a social activist.[1][2][3]

Background

Ahmed studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.[4]

Career

Ahmed first acted in the film Udhao in 2008, which was released on 2013. She also acted in the film Chuye dile mon (2015) as a special appearance, but this film was not released due to funding issues. She also acted in the films Dhaka Dreams (2017), Dhaka Attack (2017), Bhubhan Majhi (2017), and Chandrabati Kotha (2017),[5] all of which are in post-production.[6]

Ahmed performed the role of a badminton player, Tania, in a short film by Projonmo Talkies, which was released in July 2017 on its YouTube channel.[7]

Ahmed founded a theater troupe named Together We Can in 2018 and she also runs a production studio, X Solutions Ltd.[8][9] Together We Can produced a play "Riya, Girl with a White Pigeon", featuring children with special needs from Rajshahi.[8]

Ahmed worked as the puppeteer behind Sisimpur’s puppet character Ikri for seven years.[1] In April 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, her organisation Together We Can, along with Mukto Ashor, launched a campaign titled Art for Togetherness 2020.[10] Ahmed and her daughter were featured in June 2020 by the Independent Global Art Festival 2020.[1] In April 2021, she produced a music video titled Alor Khoje featuring musician Shofi Mondol and sign language instructors Ahsan Habib and Afroza Mukta.[9]

Ahmed acted in a Bengali-Indian film, Joto Kando Kolkatatei, directed by Anik Dutta, awaiting release in 2024. [11] She performed in the stage play "Siddhartha", directed by Reza Arif, with the theatre troupe Aarshinagar.[11]

Ahmed has been an activist in social movements starting with the 2013 Shahbag protests.[12]

In 2024, she became a member of the Bangladesh Films Certificate Board.[13]

Personal life

Ahmed has a daughter, Prokiti Nazareena Ahmed Bela, aged 10–11.[11][1]

Ahmed was arrested on 4 August 2018 from Uttara by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). She was accused of spreading false news over the 2018 Bangladesh road safety protests.[14][15] On 5 August, RAB officials claimed she had confessed to the allegations.[16] On 21 August, she got ad-interim bail from Dhaka court due to her health conditions. She was placed in a 4-day remand before the court and granted for two day remand on 10 August for quizzing.[17][18] In January 2019, she was granted permanent bail by the court.[19]

In May 2019, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) submitted charge sheet against Ahmed.[20] In November, the High Court stayed the trial proceedings for six months.[21][22]

Works

Films
Year Title Role Notes
2013 Udhao Mita
2015 Chuye Dile Mon Abonti Special Appearance
2016 Prothiruddo
2017 Dhaka Dreams Parul Filming
2017 Dhaka Attack Sinthia
2017 Bhuban Majhi [23]
2019 Chandrabati Kotha Sonai [5]
2022 Araal Shefali A Chorki Web film
2022 Amanush
TBA Chaya Brikkho
Music video appearance
Song Year Artist Ref(s)
"Kashfuler Shohor Dekha" 2021 Shironamhin [24]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Nawshaba and her daughter featured among 60 distinguished artists". Dhaka Tribune. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  2. ^ "The humane side of Nawshaba". The Daily Star.
  3. ^ "I prefer being the proverbial turtle, not the rabbit -- Nawshaba". The Daily Star.
  4. ^ "Is Nawshaba being ostracised?". The Business Standard. 22 May 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Nawshaba signs "Chandrabati Kotha"". The Daily Star.
  6. ^ "Nawshaba in four new films". The Daily Star.
  7. ^ "Nawshaba: I realised how patriotic athletes are". Dhaka Tribune. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Nawshaba Ahmed to direct another play featuring children with special needs". The Daily Star. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Watch: Nawshaba directs music video 'Alor Khoje'". 6 April 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Nawshaba's campaign to bring people together amid the pandemic". Dhaka Tribune. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Joya, Sharmin (10 February 2024). "Nawshaba undeterred, Nawshaba undeniable". The Daily Star. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Nawshaba on latest music video, women's empowerment and anti-rape protests". Dhaka Tribune. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  13. ^ সেন্সর যুগের অবসান, গঠিত হল চলচ্চিত্র সার্টিফিকেশন বোর্ড
  14. ^ "RAB arrests actress Nawshaba on charges of spreading rumours to incite violence". Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  15. ^ "RAB detains actress Nawshaba". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  16. ^ "'Nawshaba confesses to spreading rumours'". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  17. ^ "Nawshaba denied bail, sent to jail". The Daily Star. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Actress Nawshaba granted bail". The Daily Star. 21 August 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  19. ^ "Nawshaba secures permanent bail". The Dhaka Post (in Bengali). Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Charge sheet filed against actress Nawshaba". Dhaka Tribune. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Proceedings of case against actress Nawshaba stayed". Prothomalo. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  22. ^ "HC stays trial of Nawshaba for spreading rumours". Bangla Tribune. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  23. ^ "Bhuban Majhi in the making". The Daily Star. 8 January 2016.
  24. ^ Ullah, Sayyed Mohmud (7 May 2021). "Shironamhin releases music video of 'Kashfuler Shohor Dekha'". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). Retrieved 12 May 2021.

Further reading