Mob chanting 'religious slogans' attacks Baul music gathering at Sylhet
The incident took place in Sripur Village, near the Ibrai Shah Shrine.
A Baul music gathering was disrupted after a group of local people attacked the event while allegedly chanting religious slogans in Sylhet's Bishwanath upazila last night (22 March).
The incident took place in Sripur Village, near the Ibrai Shah Shrine.
According to local sources, Baul music gatherings have long been held centring the Ibrai Shah shrine in Rampasha Union of the upazila. The event takes place every year with the participation of devotees and visitors.
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Continuing that tradition, a three-day Baul music programme had been organised this year as well.
Witnesses said that while the event was underway last night, more than a hundred people suddenly arrived and launched a coordinated attack on the venue.
The attackers reportedly chanted slogans such as "Naara-e-Takbeer, Allahu Akbar" and "Enemies of Islam, beware" before entering the programme area. They then began vandalising the site, breaking musical instruments and sound equipment set up on the stage.
Following the sudden attack, organisers and devotees of the shrine fled the venue in fear, causing the event to be completely disrupted. Eyewitnesses said that after carrying out the vandalism, the attackers left the venue in a procession.
The incident sparked tension in the locality, though the situation has since calmed, according to police.
Bishwanath Police Station Officer-in-Charge Gazi Mahbubur Rahman said the attack did not take place inside the shrine premises.
"The incident did not occur at the shrine but at a pandal set up by devotees some distance away," he told reporters on Monday night.
"Because of the loud music at night, local people were facing difficulties, so they stopped it," he added.
Asked whether legal action would be taken against those involved in the attack, the police official said officers visited the site on Monday morning after receiving reports of the incident.
"The situation is now calm. We have looked into the matter, but no party has filed a complaint with us," he said. "The issue is being resolved locally."
