‘Gane Gane Sanghoti’ fails to take place in Chattogram

The cancellation has drawn a joint protest statement from 22 cultural figures, academics, and journalists in the port city

The “Gane Gane Sanghati” or “Solidarity through songs” programme in Chattogram, organised to protest attacks on cultural groups, media institutions, artists, and journalists, has not taken place.

Organisers said the “police discouraged the event citing security concerns”, while authorities said the programme was blocked as “no prior permission had been obtained”.

On Saturday afternoon, several cultural organisations had planned the event outside the Chattogram Shilpakala Academy.

The programme was intended to protest assaults on age-old Bangla culture and the spirit of the Liberation War, organisers said.

The event was scheduled to begin at 3:30pm, but by 3pm the organisers announced that it had been postponed due to “administrative restrictions”.

[Updates to follow]