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Journalism of Courage
Having won four national awards in the ‘best actor’ category in Bangladesh, Ferdous Ahmed is as popular in his country as in West Bengal. The 45-year-old actor hit the limelight after he, accompanied by two Bengal actors, was seen taking part in an election roadshow in Raiganj on Sunday.
Ferdous had urged people to vote for Trinamool Congress candidate Kanaialal Agarwal.
Ferdous has starred in more than 200 movies, including several Bengal films.
He has bagged four national awards for movies Hotat Brishti (1998), Gangajatra (2009), Kusum Kusum Prem (2011), and Ek Cup Cha (2014).
Hotat Brishti, Ferdous’s debut film, was an Indo-Bangladesh production directed by renowned West Bengal director Basu Chatterjee.
Ferdous started his career as a television actor.
He owns a film production house, Nuzhat Films, a TV production house and an event planning studio.
“People in Bengal have a weakness for actors from Bangladesh or any celebrity face. They are crowd pullers. He must have been invited to campaign for the party before the election just like they promote a movie. Using celebrities in political campaigns, especially in rural areas helps to woo voters,” said a political analyst who didn’t want to be identified.
Sources said Ferdous is more popular among Bengali Muslims. Around 50 per cent of the voters are Muslim in Raiganj, which will go to polls on April 18.
Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency has seven assembly segments all located in Uttar Dinajpur.
In Raiganj, Deepa Dasmunshi, wife of late Union minister and Congress leader Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, is taking on CPI(M) bigwig and sitting MP Md Salim. The BJP has fielded Deboshree Choudhury.
