A portrait of poet Rabindranath Tagore painted on a wall at Khulna Railway Station was covered with black ink ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to Khulna. The matter came to light on Friday afternoon, creating anger across political, social, and cultural circles in Khulna. Police are looking into who carried out the act.
On the occasion of the prime minister’s arrival in Khulna, Khulna City Corporation (KCC) took an initiative to paint graffiti on the railway station walls depicting the July Uprising, the Sundarbans, Shat Gombuj Mosque, and the jute industry, alongside portraits of luminaries who contributed to art, literature, and culture in the Khulna region, including Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Positive discussions had been taking place on social media regarding these eye-catching graffiti. Local residents expressed condemnation and anger over the ink-smearing incident.
An on-the-spot inspection showed that the wall beside Old Jessore Road featured portraits of Fakir Lalon Shah, painter SM Sultan, Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Begum Khaleda Zia, Ziaur Rahman,and Michael Madhusudan Dutt.
Among these, ink was applied exclusively to the graffiti of Rabindranath Tagore. Miscreants left two leaflets attached beside it.
Titled “Opposing the Establishment of Dhaka University”, the poster quoted various statements and read, “In Titumir’s Bengal, there is no room for anti-Muslim and anti-East Bengal Ratha; there is no room for India-praising”.
As all business establishments on the opposite side of the road were closed on Friday, it is not known who carried out the act or when.
Khulna Sadar Police Station officer-in-charge ,Lokman Hossain said, “After learning about the matter in the afternoon, we began inquiring into it. We have not received any information worth reporting yet”.
KCC administrator ,Nazarul Islam Manju expressed anger over the ink-smearing incident. He said, “The graffiti and portraits were painted on important walls to familiarise people visiting Khulna with the history and heritage of this region. These will foster the development of free thought among our children and adolescents. By using ink, they have shown their narrow mindset and illness”.
Sammilita Sangskritik Forum Khulna convener Kajal Islam said, “Lately, a tendency to view Rabindranath Tagore’s work from a political perspective has been observed. No one can question his poetic prowess. His literature and philosophy have been teaching generations free thought, non-communalism, and human dignity. Some young people are being misled into committing these filthy acts. People from all sides must unite against this”.
Earlier on 10 October, an incident of smearing ink over the face of Rabindranath Tagore’s graffiti occurred in Dhaka. Police detained four persons in connection with the incident, including a member secretary of Rashtra Samlap Forum, Al Noor Mohammad Ayash.
