Independent Member of Parliament Barrister Rumeen Farhana (Brahmanbaria-2) has strongly condemned the circulation of an AI-generated image portraying her as the Hindu goddess Durga, describing it as a deliberate attempt to incite religious division and hatred after she visited Durga Puja celebrations in Ashuganj.
In a Facebook post on her verified account, Farhana criticized those who “mistake the cultivation of hatred for religious devotion.” She argued that issues such as sexual violence, corruption, fraud, and the denial of others’ rights should be judged on moral grounds rather than excused under the guise of piety. She added that showing respect for people of other faiths should not be viewed as a religious failing.
Speaking to The Daily Star, Farhana said: “Circulating AI-generated images to incite division and hatred is not just an insult to me; it is insulting to people of all religions. Portraying a person as a goddess is insulting to all religions.”
The incident follows her recent visits to several Durga Puja mandaps in Ashuganj upazila, with photographs of the visits shared on social media. The AI-altered image appears to have been circulated in response, fueling online backlash.
Farhana, a lawyer and former BNP leader who won her seat as an independent in the 2026 election after being expelled from the party, has previously taken public stances against what she describes as rising religious extremism and fundamentalism.
Earlier this year, she joined protests against the cancellation of a film screening following objections from Qawmi madrasah students and Islamic student organizations, warning against attempts to turn the country into “a land of fundamentalism.”
She has also faced repeated online abuse, misogynistic attacks, and character assassination campaigns, including previous AI-generated content, which rights groups and others have condemned as cyberbullying aimed at silencing women in public life.
The episode highlights ongoing tensions around interfaith participation, online disinformation, and the targeting of politicians who adopt positions perceived as challenging hardline religious groups in Bangladesh’s polarized political climate.
