Published :
29 Apr 2011, 08:21 AM
Updated :
10 Aug 2022, 04:44 PM
Rajbari, Apr 29 (bdnews24.com)—The congregation of Lalon followers at Charramnagar of Pangsha Upazila has resumed with hundreds of Lalon fans from home and abroad converging.
The tradition assembly was foiled by Islamists when they humiliated 28 Bauls on Apr 5.
They joined 'Sadhusanga', a function of spiritual songs, beside the house of one Mohammad Ali Fakir at the village on Thursday.
The two-day programme includes 'Balyaseba', Punyaseba', 'Gurukarmo', 'Goshtogan' and Lalon songs.
Poet Farhad Mazhar and Anusheh Anadil, the vocalist of music band 'Bangla' which mainly presents folk songs, are among the Lalon fans joining the ceremony.
Mazhar said, "I have come here responding to the call of my soul and to protest the attack on the root [the Apr 5 attack on the mystic folk singers]."
Anusheh told bdnews24.com that the 'grand gathering' was for peace.
US citizen 'Seth', Sweden's 'Adams' and UK's 'Emosin' said they came to hear words from the followers of the philosopher poet Lalon Shah.
Fakir said he was happy that the programme was being held again. Police reinforcements were deployed in the area.
On April 5, a group of villagers foiled the programme, assaulted 28 Bauls and cut their locks and moustaches following instruction from the imam of a local mosque.
The imam, aided by a local influential person, termed the Bauls' programme 'anti-Islamic' and had the devotees do 'taoba' (repentance) under duress.
The incident sparked off widespread criticism from different quarters.
The parliamentary standing committee on the cultural affairs ministry on Apr 11 recommended immediate measures over the incident and one person was arrested on Apr 16.
Fakir on Apr 7 filed a case with the Pangsha Police Station accusing 50 people, 13 of whom were named, for the incident.
The High Court on Apr18 ordered the authorities to arrest and take legal steps against those involved in the assault of Bauls and submit a report to it by a week.
Hours after the order was issued, a compromise meeting was organised with Awami League MP of Pangsha Zillul Hakim being the mediator.
On Apr 19, Fakir submitted a compromise note, along with a petition to the district's judicial magistrate Jahidul Azad to withdraw the case he filed against the assaulters.
The magistrate also bailed nine of the 13 accused in the case.
In the petition, it was said that those involved with the incident apologised and promised not to do so in future.
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