Kolkata, Bangla artists protest against vandalism in Mujibnagar
Times of India | 12 August 2024
Kolkata: Cultural workers and intellectuals in Kolkata and Bangladesh have criticized the vandalism that was carried out in Mujibnagar at Meherpur where nearly 200 sculptures were destroyed. They claimed that the attack on sculptures and theatre groups point at the involvement of forces which have earlier been part of anti-sculpture movements in Bangladesh.
Last week, 50 intellectuals, including Pabitra Sarkar, Aparna Sen, Koushik Sen, from Bengal had appealed to the Bangladesh govt to restore peace and stop attacks. But the attacks have continued unabated and the offices of theatre and musical groups have been targeted. Nearly 200 sculptures in Mujibnagar were vandalized. The house of singer Rahul Anand was also ransacked. Several offices of theatre groups were set on fire.
“Offices of a theatre group at Bagura were burnt. The attacks are now being targeted at cultural heritage, artists and cultural workers,” said thespian Debesh Chattopadhyay. “It seems that a force which was against the statues and sculptures in Bangladesh has become active again,” he said. In 2013, organisations like Hefazat-e-Islam had created ruckus over its 13-point programme, including a strong opposition to statues and sculptures.
Several theatre groups, including Bikkhubdha Theatre Kormigan, in Bangladesh have protested against the ransacking of offices of theatre groups. “There had been vandalisms at some art academies. We had protested when students were killed during the protest. We are protesting again now. Vandalising Bangabandhu’s statue or the museum cannot be accepted. Attacking someone belonging to a different political philosophy is never in favour of a healthy democracy,” said Kazi Roksana Ruma, a theatre worker.
“Bangladesh is not just a neighbouring country to the people of West Bengal in terms of location, but also a neighbour at heart, as we share language, culture and history,” intellectuals from Bengal said in their letter.
“If anyone has vandalized a cultural heritage or broken a statue, the govt should restore that. Those who carry out such acts of vandalism are terrorists. I am sure Professor Muhammad Yunus, head of the interim govt will look into that,” said Major Shamsher Momin Chowdhury, former Bangladesh foreign secretary.