Chhayanaut students take to street to protest attack

Students and alumni of Bengali cultural organisation Chhayanaut and its educational wing Nalonda took to the street outside its burnt and vandalised building in the capital on Friday, protesting the latest attack on the institution.

The gathering took place hours after assailants vandalised and set fire to Chhayanaut's seven-storey building on Saat Masjid Road in Dhanmondi area following the death of Inqilab Moncho organiser Sharif Osman Bin Hadi.

According to witnesses, a group of protesters entered the building in the early hours of Friday. They smashed doors and windows, destroyed musical instruments and books, and sat parts of the building on fire. Surveillance cameras, sound systems and artworks were also damaged in the attack.

On Friday morning, a number of Chhayanaut students, teachers and alumni thronged the institution. They walked through the charred rooms before gathering outside the building.

Standing amid the debris, they sang Rabindranath Tagore's songs in chorus, countering the violence and intimidation through words of courage and motivation.

Participants at the gathering said their response was deliberate - to use culture, not confrontation - despite the attack. They urged the listeners to reject fear and inaction through courage and defiance.

Meanwhile, the attack drew condemnation from the government. Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki described the vandalism and arson as a "criminal offence", and said it went against the July Uprising spirit.

In a statement, he said those responsible would be brought to justice. He also called for unity against violence during the country's ongoing democratic transition.

Chhayanaut was founded in 1961. It has long been symbolised as an icon of Bengali cultural identity and resistance, most notably for its annual 'Pohela Boishakh' celebrations at Ramna Batamul. The organisation previously faced violence, including a deadly bomb attack at its New Year event in 2001.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com