A group of citizens strongly protested the arrest of baul singer Abul Sarkar in Manikganj and condemned the violent attacks on his followers and admirers.
In a statement, they also demanded safety and security for baul artistes and their programmes in the district and across the country. A total of 62 prominent citizens signed the statement on Sunday.
They also demanded an impartial investigation into the attacks in Manikganj, and punishment of the attackers. The superintendent of police (SP) in charge there at the time must be removed from that post, they demanded.
The citizens also demanded that the charges against Abul Sarkar be properly investigated under existing law and that he be released without delay. The signatories also warned against the misuse of such cases, saying it undermines both justice and freedom of expression.
The interim government must make a clear commitment to protect the rights of all citizens including bauls, artistes, writers, academics, and journalists to speak, sing, and assemble peacefully. Such assurances must be backed by concrete actions to restore public confidence, they said.
On Sunday, a peaceful human chain organised in support of Abul Sarkar was brutally disrupted, leaving several citizens injured. Witnesses alleged that local police failed to protect the gathering from attackers, who operated under the banner of “Tawhidi Janata”.
The incident is not merely an assault on baul artistes and their supporters, but a direct attack on public safety and citizens’ rights, the statement said. “Photos, names, and political affiliations of many of the alleged attackers have already been published, raising questions about why they are still being treated as an anonymous mob,” the statement said.
The signatories criticised the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, saying that despite promises to safeguard freedom of expression, the continued detention of Sarkar and the unchecked incitement against bauls demonstrate a failure to uphold those commitments.
Law enforcement agencies must take visible and fair action to stop incitement and attacks carried out in the name of “religious sentiment”, the signatories demanded.
