Apu BiswasActress Apu Biswas appeared at the divorce arbitration alone. Following Shakib Khan’s divorce notice, both Shakib and Apu were due to appear at 10am Monday morning at the Mohakhali Zone 3 office of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC). However, out of the country for over a month now on shooting, Shakib failed to turn up.

DNCC Zone 3 executive officer Hemayet Hossain told Prothom Alo, “Apu came to our office a bit after 11 this morning, along with her uncle Swapan Kumar. She stayed for about an hour and presented her statement.”

Hemayet Hossain said, “Apu told us she wanted to continue her marriage. She said she had converted from her religion for the sake of marriage. She had no complaint against her husband.”

Movie star Shakib Khan has been shooting in Bangkok and is scheduled to go on to Australia for the shooting of another movie.

Speaking over mobile on Sunday night, Shakib Khan told Prothom Alo, “I hardly have time to breathe right now. Last year my producer and director suffered because I couldn’t work much. I only managed to get to work in full swing from the end of last year. Work has piled up and I don’t want to cause any further disruptions in the shooting.”

About the divorce, he said, “My lawyer is dealing with it and I have nothing new to say. I am simply concentrating on my work.”

The DNCC executive officer said that Shakib’s absence was the actor’s personal matter. “We have nothing to do if anyone remains adamant in their decision,” he said, adding, “We have set dates for two more meetings, the next one one scheduled for 12 February. If no understanding is reached after three meetings, the divorce will come into effect.”

Apu Biswas told Prothom Alo, Shakib Khan married her on 18 April 2008, but they kept their marriage strictly under wraps. Then after eight years and nine months, she revealed all in an interview with a private TV channel. She had her six-month-old baby boy Abraham with her during the interview.

Trouble cropped up immediately after the TV interview. Things reached a height and the movie star couple only met occasionally for the sake of son Abraham. Finally Shakib sent divorce papers to Apu through his lawyer Sheikh Sirajul Islam.