Dhaka University set to host 'Sarat Utsob' after scrapping Satyen Sen Shilpi Group's allocation

Permission for the festival was cancelled following a review of the group's controversial activities during the past authoritarian rule, an official says

Dhaka University has revoked permission for the cultural organisation Satyen Sen Shilpi Group to organise the Sarat Utsob, an annual festival to mark the arrival of autumn, at the Faculty of Fine Arts’ Bakultala premises, deciding instead to organise the festival itself.

The faculty’s Dean Azharul Islam told bdnews24.com that the decision not to grant permission to the Satyen Sen Shilpi Group was made during a discussion with stakeholders on Saturday.

"Upon enquiry and verification about them, it was found that the Satyen Sen Shilpi Group applied for permission to hold Sarat Utsob while concealing a lot of information.

"Permission for the Sarat Utsob 1432 was cancelled following a review of their controversial activities during the past authoritarian regime."

The fine arts dean also said that Dhaka University itself has decided to organise the festival.

"Sarat Utsob 1432 will be held on Thursday, the 16th of October, at 3pm at Bakultala under the initiative of Dhaka University and the supervision of the faculty.

“The event will be organised with the cooperation of the university's music and dance departments, and DUCSU (Dhaka University Central Students' Union)."

He noted that the Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Arts has always nurtured the values and traditions of the country's arts and culture since its inception.

Referring to the previous allocation of the venue to Satyen Sen Shilpi Group, Azharul said: "The Faculty of Fine Arts has been playing a crucial role, including encouraging to promote the country's arts, literature, and tradition to the new generation for every institution in the cultural arena.

"In this context, it allows cultural institutions to use its premises (the Bakultala) to organise festivals. Following this custom, the Satyen Sen Shilpi Group also applied."

Permission to hold the festival was granted based on their application. Azharul, however, said last Thursday that the Anti-Fascist Writers, Journalists and Artists Society lodged a written complaint against the Satyen Sen Shilpi Group.

He said, "Posters identifying the organising body as a collaborator of authoritarian rule were affixed to the entrances of the Faculty of Fine Arts. Information, including visuals of numerous negative activities where the organisers of the Satyen Sen Shilpi Group event were identified as cultural fascists close to the last autocratic government, reached the fine arts authorities.

"This created resentment among the students and cultural workers who participated in the 2024 mass uprising. In that context, the event was immediately suspended to prevent any untoward incidents. It has now been decided to cancel it."

Satyen Sen Shilpi Group General Secretary Manzar Chowdhury Sweet was also in attendance at the meeting.

"The Faculty of Fine Arts alleged that we had concealed information. We provided everything that is required in the application form.

“We were even allocated the venue accordingly. The reason for the cancellation of the allocation now is incomprehensible. What more is there for us to say now, other than being disappointed?"