Police seek remand for four over Rabindranath’s graffiti defacement

Police have sought a 10-day remand for four people arrested over allegedly defacing graffiti depicting Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore on a boundary wall opposite Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital’s Segunbagicha.

The accused are Al Nur Mohammad Ayash, member secretary of the Rashtra Sanglap Forum; Md Sakibul Hasan, 19; Md Sujon Mia, 18; and Marzia Khandaker Rimi, 26.

Shahbagh police station Sub-Inspector Md Abdul Gaffar Himel moved with the remand petition on Sunday, and a hearing on the application is scheduled to take place later in the day at Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

According to the remand application, the graffiti were painted on a Public Works Department (PWD) boundary wall after hawkers were evicted from the adjacent footpath as part of the Dhaka South City Corporation's eviction drive.

On 9 October, Ayash reportedly announced that he would erase the graffiti by whitewashing them. At around 11:30am the following day, the accused and several unidentified people gathered in front of the wall, the application added.

According to the application, Ayash made remarks referring to the graves of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's grandparents in Pakistan and the tomb of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He said Jinnah's nameplate was written in both Urdu and Bengali and criticised those who verbally abused Jinnah without reason.

Another accused, Marzia Khandaker Rimi, reportedly said they had gathered to protest against Indian aggression, alleging that Muslims had faced oppression under Rabindranath Tagore's zamindari.

Rimi then allegedly smeared black ink over the graffiti depicting Tagore, saying that they did not want to see the poet's portrait on any wall in Bangladesh, according to the application.

Police also alleged that the accused attempted to spread religious hatred ahead of the upcoming Durga Puja, creating discord over religious sentiments and communal harmony.

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Four detained for trying to erase Rabindranath’s graffiti

A case was filed with Shahbagh Police Station on Sunday under Sections 120B, 153A and 295A of the Penal Code, 1860.

The remand application further stated that the accused had allegedly avoided providing information during preliminary questioning about who directed the incident, why it was carried out and who assisted them.

Police said their remand is necessary to ensure a proper investigation and uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident.