Dhaka:Police halted a gathering of cultural activists in Dhanmondi on Monday, who were organizing a human chain to protest the obstruction of female Baul singers in Sunamganj and other alleged attacks on cultural events across Bangladesh. During the confrontation, Dipak Shil, a former Bangladesh Chhatra Union president, was detained.
According to United News of Bangladesh, activists assembled in front of Meena Bazar at Dhanmondi 27 around 4 pm under the banner of 'Protestive Artists and People' (Protiabadi Shilpi Janata) to voice their concerns over what they described as attacks by groups acting under the name 'Tawhidi Janata' against Baul music and other cultural activities. The area had seen more than 100 police personnel deployed from 330 pm onwards in preparation for the planned event.
Drama activist Sumona Islam approached the police to inquire about the possibility of holding the human chain. Dipak Shil joined her in a discussion with the officers, who stated they had orders from higher authorities to prevent any provocative remarks or slogans during the event. Reference was made to a previous gathering at the location where participants chanted 'Joy Bangla'. In response, Dipak questioned the invalidity of the slogan, which led to a heated exchange and his subsequent detention.
Sumona Islam attempted to prevent the police from detaining Dipak, alleging aggressive behavior from the officers, who reportedly pulled her during the incident. She condemned the detention as unwarranted and demanded Dipak's immediate release.
Contacted for comment, Mohammad Ibn Mizan, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Tejgaon division, confirmed that activists were advised against using provocative language. He explained that during the ensuing argument over the 'Joy Bangla' slogan, one person was detained for preliminary questioning.
Despite the police intervention, activists stood together at 420 pm, chanting slogans against fundamentalism and promoting cultural freedom. Faruk H Khan, one of the organizers, criticized the inability to tolerate peaceful protests, highlighting the ongoing threats to Baul and Bengali culture. The protesters dispersed around 430 pm.
Following the incident, the Bangladesh Chhatra Union's Dhaka metropolitan unit issued a statement condemning Dipak's arrest and demanding his immediate release. The statement emphasized that the use of 'Joy Bangla', a slogan tied to Bangladesh's liberation struggle, should not result in arrest or harassment. The organization expressed concern over reported attacks on cultural figures and called for the protection of cultural expression and freedom for all citizens.
Source United News of Bangladesh