Did culture ministry attack Bauls? Farooki responds to criticism, clarifies his role after Abul Sarkar's arrest
Farooki stated that he initially chose not to issue public statements, saying, 'our job is to work, not talk'
Breaking his silence after days of mounting criticism over the arrest of Baul singer Abul Sarkar, Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said the backlash placed him in an "extremely uncomfortable" position.
In a Facebook post this afternoon (24 November), the adviser also clarified that matters of law and order lie entirely outside his ministry's jurisdiction.
Addressing claims such as "celebrating Lalon while targeting Bauls," Farooki dismissed the accusation as baseless.
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"Did the Cultural Affairs Ministry attack Bauls? Please research the matter," he wrote, pointing to a long history of violence against Bauls and Fakirs, including incidents during different governments where Bauls were assaulted, had their hair cut off, instruments destroyed, or were detained under allegations of "hurting religious sentiments."
Farooki said he initially chose not to issue public statements, saying, "our job is to work, not talk. But the spread of accusations compelled me to respond."
The adviser stated that he immediately reached out to the home ministry after learning about Abul Sarkar's arrest.
Detectives detained Abul Sarkar on 19 November from a musical event in Ghior upazila of Manikganj on allegations of making derogatory remarks about Islam and Allah. He was later sent to jail following a court order.
The arrest sparked strong reactions from netizens.
"Officials shared a video clip and explained the 'heat and risk factors,' which made it clear the situation was escalating toward a crisis," Farooki said in the social media post.
He emphasised that the home ministry, not the cultural affairs ministry, holds the authority to act on criminal matters.
"All decisions on security and law-and-order issues are the responsibility of the home ministry. My ministry has no special authority in this regard."
Farooki added that he remains in constant communication with the home ministry but cannot disclose more details "for legitimate reasons."
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Urging calm, he called on citizens to exercise patience and uphold religious and social harmony, warning that "anything else will only lead to destruction."
The adviser said his ministry has taken "the strongest possible cultural stance" in support of pluralism.
"We decided to celebrate Lalon nationally to send a clear message that we stand with them," he said.
He added that the ministry has organised numerous events with sadhus (spiritual practitioners associated with Baul, Fakir, or mystic traditions) and, for the first time in 54 years, jointly celebrated Eid, Durga Puja, Buddha Purnima, and Pahela Baishakh with communities across Bangladesh.
"This is our position, the new Bangladesh, where every community has a stake," Farooki said.
Baul singer Abul Sarkar allegedly made remarks hurting religious sentiment on 4 November during a performance at the Khala Pagli Mela in Jabra area of Ghior upazila, Manikganj. A video of his comments later spread on social media, sparking widespread criticism, reports Prothom Alo.
In response, on the night of 19 November, the Detective Branch (DB) of Manikganj police detained Abul Sarkar from a musical event in Madaripur. He was brought to the district DB office the following morning.
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Later that day, Mufti Md Abdullah filed a case with Ghior Police Station, naming Abul Sarkar as the accused. He was then shown arrested in the case and sent to jail through the court.
Tension escalated in the town yesterday (23 November) after clashes broke out in Manikganj over rival programmes announced by two groups in the wake of the singer's arrest over allegations of hurting religious sentiment.
The incident occurred around 10:45am in the town's Dakkhin Seota area when a group of people, rallying under the banner of "Allama-Olama O Touhidi Janata of Manikganj", confronted Abul's supporters, who had also organised a human chain demanding his release.
