Who's this man that signed Pori Moni's bail bond

The clock stroke 9:45 am when a white car navigating through the traffic congestion usual to Raishaheb Bazar in Old Town of Dhaka stopped in front of the main gate of Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court on Monday. Film actress Pori Moni got down from the car with a smile on her face and started walking towards the lift.

She had to struggle through the crowd of inquisitive people to reach the lift. After emerging from the lift on the sixth floor, Pori Moni entered the court room accompanied by her lawyers. There was a huge crowd there too to get a glimpse of Pori Moni. Then the judge entered the court room.

Pori Moni’s lawyer Nilanjana Rifat told the court that Pori Moni had been on bail under this case and she never took advantage of the bail. She couldn’t attend the court hearing Monday for she had fallen sick all of a sudden. She’s always respectful towards the law and the court. I appeal to grant her bail. At that time, Pori Moni was standing in the accused’s box.

The court then granted Pori Moni’s bail plea for a bond of Tk 1,000. After her bail was granted, Pori Moni wore a smile on her face. Once the judge left the court room, Pori Moni started talking light heartedly with her lawyer and those who had accompanied her. She was also spotted to engage in lively conversation with her fans in the court room.

Then when the clock stroke 10:27 am, actress Pori Moni was found sitting on a bench at the back of the court room. Her lawyers were busy with drawing up the bail bond at that moment.

Within five minutes, when all the necessary information was penned down on the bail bond it was handed over to young singer Sheikh Sadi for the sign of the guarantor. Pori Moni was sitting there on his right at the time. Sheikh Sadi then wrote his complete name and address on the bail bond there.

Pori Moni’s lawyer Nilanjana Rifat told Prothom Alo the court issued an arrest warrant against Pori Moni for she had failed to appear in the court. I immediately informed her about it. Pori Moni then decided to surrender at the court and appeal for bail the very next day on Monday. And she was granted bail from the court.

The lawyer added, “Following the court’s order granting bail, a bail bond was drawn up for Pori Moni. I became one guarantor while, singer Sheikh Sadi was the other guarantor. The bail bond has been submitted to the court.”

After the bail bond was submitted, Pori Moni and Sheikh Sadi sat by each other for 10 more minutes. A group of lawyers and inquisitive crowd was busy taking photographs with Pori Moni that time. The crowd of people gathered in front of the court room to see Pori Moni started increasing.

Dhaka district police’s court inspector, Akhter Hossain requested the crowd to move away from in front of the court. Pori Moni kept chatting with her lawyers smilingly inside the court room. Some of the lawyers clicked photos of her there.

She was then escorted from the court room of Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on the sixth floor to the lift and the lift took ten minutes to reach the ground floor.  

When Pori Moni reached on the ground floor of the court building, there was a huge crowd of media workers there. Moving through the crowd, Pori Moni went near the dais set up in front of the main entrance.

Pori Moni started speaking with a smile but the media workers couldn’t hear her properly over the racket of the curious crowd. At one point Pori Moni became annoyed and said she won’t speak if they didn’t stop making commotion. After briefing the media workers, she then left the court premises in a white sedan.

The CJM court in Dhaka on Sunday had issued an arrest warrant against Pori Moni in a case filed by businessman Nasir Uddin Mahmood over allegations of assault and attempt to murder.

Meanwhile, the case filed by Pori Moni against Nasir Uddin Mahmood on allegation of attempt to rape is under trial at Dhaka Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-9. Pori Moni’s statement is being recorded in that case.

Sheikh Sadi, a singer of the young generation, accompanied Pori Moni at the court from the beginning. When asked about him becoming Pori Moni’s guarantor, Sheikh Sadi told Prothom Alo, "Pori Moni is my colleague. When I heard the news of Pori Moni facing an arrest warrant in the media, I was quite worried."

"Then I spoke to Pori Moni. She told me that she would surrender at the court Monday. So, I came to the court. When the bail was granted her lawyer became one guarantor. Then I also became a guarantor for her."

Sheikh Sadi said, having worked in the same field for a long time he had already become acquainted with Pori Moni quite a while ago. Since then, they have been talking regularly about their professional matters. Young singer Sheikh Sadi has produced several popular songs already. These songs have gained more than millions of views on YouTube.

Speaking on the matter of Sheikh Sadi becoming a guarantor for her bail, Pori Moni told Prothom Alo, "I could not go to court Monday because suddenly I had fallen very sick. Then I heard that an arrest warrant has been issued against me. My fans and well-wishers contacted me when the news was published in the media."

"My friends and colleagues supported me in this situation. Sheikh Sadi is a colleague as well. We spoke yesterday and he was present during the court hearing today. Once granted bail, a local guarantor was needed in addition to my lawyer, who’s the first guarantor. Sheikh Saadi then signed the bail bond."

Three years ago while shooting for the film ‘Gunin’, actress Pori Moni met actor Shariful Razz and they fell in love. Then the couple got married and had a son together. However, they fell apart and got divorced about a year and a half ago. Pori Moni is now very busy with her children and work. Meanwhile, Razz is also busy with his work. This reporter spoke to both of them about them going their separate ways.

Pori Moni told Prothom Alo, “My life’s been moving through ups and downs. Those who remain by my side in times of trouble are blessings for life. I have had many well-wishers in the past and I still have many well-wishers even now. I share my feelings with them and this keeps me mentally sound.”

Sheikh Sadi told Prothom Alo, “I too have been working in the industry for a long time. Pori Moni has a number of positive qualities. She stands by people in times of trouble. I always wish her well.”

Pori Moni’s Facebook page displays a video of Sheikh Sadi published five days ago. Pori Moni captioned it, “Let the world know, you are the light of this world.” Apart from that, more videos of Sheikh Sadi were published on Pori Moni’s Facebook page on 13 January.