A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking directions to implement preventive measures against illegal obstacles, threats, and violence disrupting lawful cultural activities, including concerts, Baul songs, plays, film screenings, boat races, and Pahela Baishakh celebrations.
Lawyer Saddam Hossain Abhi provided the details regarding the filing of petition on Wednesday.
The writ petition states that preventive measures are necessary to ensure the protection of artists, cultural workers, organisers, and audiences from illegal obstruction, intimidation, threats, violence, vandalism, and coercion by unauthorized persons or groups during lawful cultural, musical, theatrical, film, and traditional events.
It specifically highlights the protection of concerts, musical events, folk music, Baul songs, plays, film screenings, boat races, Pahela Baishakh celebrations, and other peaceful cultural festivals.
Earlier, on 9 September, the lawyer sent a legal notice to four government officials protesting against obstacles, threats, and forced closures of traditional cultural events across the country, such as concerts, drama performances, Jatra, folk music, Baul songs, film screenings, and Pahela Baishakh.
The notice was sent to the senior secretary to Home Ministry, inspector general of police (IGP), secretary to Cultural Affairs Ministry, and secretary to Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
The notice stated that a trend of independent cultural events being disrupted or cancelled due to threats and illegal obstacles has recently been observed across various parts of the country.
As examples, the notice cited the cancellation of a concert in Kishoreganj in August 2024 due to objections from a local group, demands to stop a traditional boat race on the Sunai River in Beanibazar, Sylhet, and the last-minute postponement of artist Anupam Roy’s concert in Dhaka.
Citing Articles 31, 32, 37, and 39 of the Constitution, the notice stated that every citizen possesses fundamental rights to peaceful assembly, the practice of art and culture, and freedom of expression.
It further asserted that the state or administration cannot cancel or stop events in this manner based on objections from any individual or private group.
If security risks exist, it is the legal responsibility of police to ensure adequate security and traffic management instead of cancelling the event.
