Musician Mainul Ahsan Nobel is in the news again. This time, he has been accused of raping and physically torturing a college student for seven months. He was arrested by the Demra police at 2:30 am on May 19. Police said the student was rescued from a house in Demra after receiving the complaint.
From a promising star to a controversial name
Nobel was once one of the most promising musicians in Bangladesh. He became an overnight star by participating in the popular Indian music competition ‘Sare Gama Pa’ for Bangladesh. However, that popularity did not last long. He lost the trust and love of his fans one by one due to various controversial activities, drug addiction, violent Behaviour, and indecent comments on social media.
One allegation after another
The list of allegations against Nobel is quite long. On September 16, 2019, a young woman from Chittagong filed a rape case against him. After that, cases were filed against him at various times on various charges, including raising his hand on his wife, insulting her on Facebook, attending a concert while intoxicated, and threatening a journalist.
In 2023, he went on stage in a drunken state at a concert in Kurigram and created anger among the audience. The crowd present got angry and threw water bottles and shoes. The organisers removed him from the stage to bring the situation under control.
Social media and scandals
Nobel has been criticized the most for using social media to make insults and defamatory comments. Just as there are allegations of insults against the national anthem and Rabindranath Tagore, he has also publicly insulted artist James and lyricist Ethun Babu. Ethun Babu filed a case against him under the Digital Security Act.
Nobel was also accused of threatening an entertainment journalist from Somoy TV in 2021. The TV authorities alleged that he called journalist Al Kachir and threatened to kidnap him. The Film Journalists Association condemned the incident and warned Nobel to boycott him.
Failed marriage and relationship complications
Nobel was also in the news in his personal life. Soon after his marriage to his first wife, Salsabil Mahmud, they started quarrelling and blaming each other in the media. They eventually separated.
On April 13, 2023, he claimed on Facebook that he had married Farzana Arshi, a food blogger from Khulna. But that relationship also did not last. A week after the wedding, Nobel was admitted to a drug treatment center, and Arshi returned to Khulna. Later, Arshi said that she did not know that Nobel would post that photo and that there would be so much controversy about her personal life.
Details of the latest arrest and charges
Finally, in May 2025, Nobel was arrested on charges of kidnapping, raping and blackmailing a college student. The girl’s family complained to the police that Nobel called her last November, promising to meet her in Gulshan, and kept her locked up in a house in Demra, promising to marry her. He raped the girl for seven months and blackmailed her by recording the video on his mobile phone.
Police said that after the incident came to light, Nobel planned to flee across the border. For this, he hired a microbus but was caught by the police.
Lawyer’s claim and counter-explanation
Nobel’s lawyer, Md. Jasimuddin claimed that the victim was originally Nobel’s legal wife, and they were married as a family. The girl is now four months pregnant. He claimed that the case was filed due to family disputes. While seeking bail from the court, the lawyer said that the accused wants to start a family and is ready to settle the matter amicably.
Opinion of a psychiatrist
Psychiatrist Dr. Helal Uddin Ahmed said that drug addiction and misuse of social media can destroy a person’s personal, professional and social life. He said that living a controlled life, adequate sleep, participation in family and social activities – these elements are very important for mental health.
Conclusion
Mainul Ahsan Nobel, although once a popular musician, has now become a controversial name due to various scandals, criminal activities and failures in his personal life. One incident after another has clearly shown the decline of not only his career, but also a talented artist.
Nobel is a real example of how quickly a star can become the center of controversy without controlled life and social responsibility.