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‘Religious extremism has surged’: Attack on Bangladesh mystic singers sparks sharp reaction
Popular 'baul' singer Abul Sarkar was recently arrested from a music show on charges of "deliberately" provoking riots or violence, hurting religious sentiment.
The arrest of ‘baul’ singer in Bangladesh for allegedly hurting the public's sentiments and subsequent Islamists attack on fellow mystic minstrels over the past few days ahs drawn sharp criticism from eminent Bangladeshi civil society members who claimed that religious strife had increased since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government.
"In the period following the July mass uprising (that toppled prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League regime in 2024), religious extremism has surged," news agency PTI quoted a statement signed by 250 distinguished citizens.
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It said a particular group has emerged as a 'sole agent' of Islam, embarking on a purge across the country, adding that the "weapon of choice" has consistently been the ruse of blow to the public sentiment and thus creating a “suffocating situation.”
The backlash came after the detective branch of the police arrested popular 'baul' singer Abul Sarkar from a music show in western Madaripur on charges of "deliberately" provoking riots or violence and hurting religious sentiment. He was produced before a court in suburban Manikganj and jailed the same day.
His arrest was followed by an attack on fellow singers by the Islamists under the banner of Tawhidi Janata on the northern outskirts of the capital Dhaka, during a street rally for Sarkar's release, PTI reported.
Civil society members condemn Sarkar's arrest
"Demolishing more than 200 shrines, declaring countless individuals murtad-kafir-shatim, exhuming and burning body, forcibly cutting the hair of bauls and fakirs on the street, harassing women over movement and attire, and disrupting programmes involving dance, music, theatre, and even sports and fairs -- eradication of people of different opinions and practices appears to be their objective," the noted members of the public said.
The statement is signed mostly by academics who were opposed to the past regime, including economist Professor Anu Mohammad and Prof Salimullah Khan. It said it was evident that those entrusted with maintaining law and order were not taking any effective steps to stop "mob terror or vigilantism."
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"Rather, from the outset they have encouraged it (mob violence) by maintaining silence -- trying to downplay incidents by calling them 'pressure groups', and even detaining victims or attacking survivors in fabricated cases," the statement read.
Rights group Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) in its statement expressed "deep concerns" over the attack on Sarkar's followers and admirers following his arrest.
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The Bangladesh chapter of Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International said termed the developments as worrying as the hostility toward religious harmony is increasing.
Poet and activist Farhad Mazhar, warned that a new form of "religious fascism" was emerging in Bangladesh, as he joined a protest rally in the capital.
"Arresting him (Sarkar) means arresting me. I will not accept this," said Mazhar, a staunch critic of the past Awami League regime.
