A nearby organization called “July Moncho” arranged an event titled “Ensuring maximum punishment for those who attack religious values and protecting national values against emerging cultural conspiracies that threaten national harmony.”
Attack on ‘Ganer Artonad’ Event by July Moncho, Thwarted by Students and Citizens
At that time, members of July Moncho came onto the stage of the “Ganer Artonad” event, raised slogans in opposition, and a scuffle and pushing occurred between the two groups.
The event began with a welcome speech by artist and thinker Aroop Rahi. After that, Baul singer Alamgir Sarkar performed a Baul song. As soon as artist Krishnokoli Islam stepped forward to deliver her speech, a group claiming to be from July Moncho rushed toward the stage from behind. They demanded that the event—organized to demand the release of Abul Sarkar—be stopped. At that time, they chanted slogans like “Delhi or Dhaka.”
According to the organizers, under the leadership of July Moncho’s convener Ariful Islam Talukder, their members obstructed and attacked the “Ganer Artonad” program organized in protest of the attack on Baul artists and the arrest of Baul Abul Sarkar. Members of the so-called “July Moncho” vandalized the stage backdrop and attacked the organizers. They attempted to sabotage the event, but students and citizens resisted them.
The incident took place around 4:30 pm on Friday in front of the National Library at Shahbagh. The protest event, originally planned in front of the Shahbagh Museum, had been slightly shifted because another program was taking place at the original location.
On stage at the time were Hasan Shah Sureshwari Dipu Noori (World Sufi Organization member), writer-researcher Nahid Hasan Knowledge, filmmaker Akram Khan, writer and teacher Navin Murshid, artist Amol Akash, writer-organizer Ferdous Ara Rumi, coordinator of BASAD (Marxist) Masud Rana, artist Krishnokoli Islam, writer and teacher Moshahida Sultana Ritu, writer-activist Baki Billah, Aslam Sarkar, artist Beethi Ghosh, Rebecca Neela, teacher Shormi Hossain, and others.
Speaking on behalf of the organizers, writer and activist Baki Billah said:
“Today, there was an attempt to carry out a disgraceful attack on us, and the students and citizens resisted them. It was the government’s responsibility to stop such attacks. If we had not resisted, the violence and damage these thugs could have caused would have been the responsibility of the state. We strongly condemn the inaction of the Shahbagh police.”
Mozammel Haque, convener of the Dhaka University branch of the Socialist Students’ Front, also addressed the crowd.
Baki Billah further said:
“It is not our responsibility to protect ourselves. We pay taxes; we uphold the state; it is the government’s duty to ensure our safety. This security is necessary not only for us but for the government as well. The police must work to maintain that security.”
From the stage, Rafiquzzaman Farid, General Secretary of the Socialist Students’ Front, stated over the microphone:
“This is a democratic country. We are expressing our protest in a completely peaceful and democratic manner. You also have the right to state your demands peacefully. But the way you (July Moncho activists) formed a mob and tried to suppress our protest using force is condemnable. This does not reflect the spirit or aspirations of the July Uprising. You cannot stop our event through such terrorist tactics.”
He then urged everyone to remain calm.
Even then, the so-called July Moncho activists tore down the backdrop of the “Ganer Artonad” event. Tension rose between the two sides. Organizers and attendees confronted the July Moncho group verbally. Eventually, faced with resistance from students and citizens, they retreated.
Organizers and members of the Baul community, along with the attending crowd, displayed patience and restraint. They hastily repaired the torn backdrop and the event proceeded as planned. The program then continued with speeches and songs.
