Agartala, Dec 4: More than 600 writers, artistes and cultural activists gathered in Agartala on Wednesday to protest the recent attacks on Baul and mystic singers in Bangladesh and to demand the immediate release of Baul community leader Abul Sarkar.
The demonstration, organised by the Agartala chapter of Bangla Sanskriti Boloy — a global cultural collective with a strong presence in Bangladesh — was held at the foot of the Rabindra statue at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan. Protesters, wearing black ribbons, condemned what they described as a sharp rise in assaults on minority communities in Bangladesh following the exit of the Sheikh Hasina government and the takeover by the interim administration led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.
Terming Sarkar’s arrest in Manikganj and the violent attacks on his supporters “a direct assault on Bengal’s secular cultural fabric,” organisers called on the Bangladesh government to curb fundamentalist violence and protect Baul practitioners, known for their syncretic spiritual tradition.
As part of the campaign, participants wrote postcards addressed to the President of Bangladesh urging urgent action to safeguard shared Bengali cultural heritage. Copies of the letters have also been sent to India’s External Affairs Minister and the Tripura Chief Minister, requesting diplomatic intervention to ensure the safety of Baul artistes and other vulnerable groups across the border.
A dedicated postal box was placed at the venue for protestors to deposit individual letters demanding Sarkar’s unconditional release. The collection has been handed over to the Agartala Head Post Office for dispatch to the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission.
Speaking at the event, Subrata Chakraborty, Vice-Chairman of the State Cultural Advisory Committee, and Sebak Bhattacharjee, president of the global committee of Bangla Sanskriti Boloy, said attacks on Bauls strike “at the heart of Bengali identity and its humanist traditions.” The protest concluded with cultural performances by leading Tripura artistes, underscoring a collective call for justice and cultural freedom.
