A programme demanding the unconditional release of Baul singer Abul Sarkar and justice for attacks on baul artistes across the country was disrupted on Friday after an alleged attack, vandalism and scuffles broke out at Shahbagh.
Organisers and participants claimed that several members of the group “July Moncho” stormed the “Ganer Artonad” event at around 4:30pm in front of Dhaka University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, vandalising banners and engaging in physical confrontation.
They alleged that several “volunteers” linked to July Moncho, coming from the nearby “Concert for Dhaka” organised under the leadership of Usman Hadir, participated the attack. The situation escalated as both sides engaged in pushing and shoving.
Sami Abdullah, general secretary of Biplobi Chhatra Maitri’s Dhaka University unit, told TIMES of Bangladesh, “People from July Moncho and Usman Hadir’s voter campaign concert attacked our pre-announced programme.
“It was completely pre-planned. Even before the programme started, they had gathered at different points. They vandalised our banner.”
Another participant, Mishkat Tanisha, alleged, “One of them threatened to hit me with a shoe.”
Earlier on Friday, July Moncho held rallies titled “Ensuring maximum punishment for those who hurt religious sentiment” and “Resisting cultural conspiracies threatening national harmony” in front of the National Museum.
Speaking at the event, July Moncho representative Masum Billah said, “We were holding our programme nearby and told them not to organise any event supporting those who speak ill of religion. But they did not listen.”
He further said, “They always push women to the front in any confrontation. They are not women; they are terrorists, and they used them to attack.”
Shahriar Alam, one of the organisers of the July Moncho conference opposing “Baul Abul Sarkar’s release,” told the media that they had protested at the “Ganer Artonad” event, saying no form of “cultural fascism” would be allowed.
Another organiser, Md Wasir, said, “We told them they may protest for bauls, but they must remove Abul Sarkar’s name.”
Shahbagh Police Station officer-in-charge Khaled Monsur told TIMES that the two sides had engaged in pushing and shoving, but no formal complaint had been filed.
