Cultural figures urge state to protect bauls, fakirs from persecution

A total of 53 cultural personalities have urged the state to ensure protection for bauls and fakirs in the country.

In a statement issued today (1 July), they said, "Over time, we have seen many forms of aggression against Bauls, Fakirs, and Sadhus, such as shaving their heads, destroying their homes and musical instruments, evicting them, and socially disgracing them."

The statement came in response to the media reports over vanadalism of 90-year-old Lalon devotee China Begum's house in Kushtia's Takimara village.

"On 26 June, some vandals destroyed the house of China Begum, a follower of Lalon Fakir. They even threatened to kill her if she was found there at night," reads the statement.

The signatories include musicians Maqsoodul Haque, Kumar Bishwajit, Prince Mahmud, Bappa Mazumder, Ahmed Hasan Sunny, Rezaul Karim Leemon, writers Altaf Shahnewaz, Manosh Chowdhury, lyricist Shahid Mahmud Jangi, filmmaker Shabnam Ferdousi, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, and actors Manoj Pramanik and Dilruba Doyel.

National rights body shocked at Kushtia Lalon devotee's house vandalism

They said such actions are completely unacceptable in an independent Bangladesh and urged special attention to this. "We are aware that the local administration has taken the incident involving Lalon follower China Begum seriously, but we expect state measures to ensure that such incidents never occur again."

The statement, sent by musician Sina Hasan, also chalked out four demands.

These include measures to ensure the safety of bauls, fakirs, and Lalon devotees, and raising public awareness about their activities, legal action in case of any attacks or persecution against them, and ensuring unhindered freedom for cultural activities

The statement signed off by saying that persecuting bauls, fakirs and poets doesn't only affect their personal lives but also "harms our national pride and culture".

The signatories of the letter are:

• Ahmed Hasan Sunny (Musician)

• Altaf Shahnewaz (Writer)

• Amirul Rajiv (Art Curator)

• Arifur Rahman (Filmmaker)

• Armeen Musa (Musician)

• Arzeen (Musician)

• Asif Iqbal Aontu (Musician, Kaaktaal)

• Autumnal Moon (Musician)

• Bappa Mazumder (Musician)

• Eon (Poet)

• Faria Ulfath Syed (Musician, Tulkalam)

• George Lincoln D'Costa (Musician, Artcell)

• Gowtam K Shuvo (Music Researcher)

• Jewel Kolindo (Poet)

• Joy Shahriar (Musician)

• Kanak Aditya (Artist)

• Kishore Das (Musician)

• KP Razib (Musician)

• Krishnendu Chattopadhyay (Filmmaker)

• Kumar Bishwajit (Musician)

• Maqsoodul Haque (Musician, Maqsood O Dhaka)

• Manoj Pramanik (Actor and Teacher)

• Manosh Chowdhury (Teacher and Writer)

• Meer Masum (Musician, Souls)

• Milu Aman (Music Researcher)

• Mostofa Sarwar Farooki (Filmmaker)

• Prince Mahmud (Musician)

• Probar Ripon (Musician, Shonar Bangla Circus)

• Rahul Ananda (Artist, Joler Gaan)

• Rajib Mahmud Shanto (Musician)

• Raju (Musician)

• Rakibul Hasan (Musician, Organizer)

• Rashed Zaman (Cinematographer)

• Rezaul Karim Leemon (Musician)

• Robiul Alam Robi (Filmmaker)

• Sadia Khalid Reeti (Film Critic)

• Sadia Seraj Saba (Musician)

• Sameer Ahmed (Filmmaker)

• Shahid Mahmud Jangi (Lyricist)

• Shahriar Shawon (Artist)

• Shafiq Tuhin (Musician)

• Shabnam Ferdousi (Filmmaker)

• Shangkha Dasgupta (Filmmaker)

• Sharmee Hossain (Musician)

• Sharmin Lucky (Artist)

• Sheikh Monirul Alam Tipu (Musician, Warfaze)

• Shibu Kumar Shil (Musician, Meghdol)

• Sina Hasan (Musician, Bangla Five)

• Soikat Biswas Tutul (Organizer)

• Unmesh Roy (Teacher)

• Xaved Hoque (Music Patron, Heavy Metal T-shirt)

• Yamin Rahman Iskra (Musician, Swarobanjo)

• Ziaur Rahman (Musician, Shironamhin)

• Shimul Salahuddin (Poet)

• Dilruba Doyel (Artist)