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The Print
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Don't just blame Yunus for Tagore house destruction. Bangladesh radicalism goes way back
According to Bangladesh media reports, the chaos began with a misunderstanding on 8 June. A dispute over parking fee led to an altercation between an on-duty employee and a visitor at Kachharibari, now the Rabindra Memorial Museum (okay?). 'Custodian of the archaeology department, Habibur Rahman, was accused of assaulting and detaining a visitor named Shahnewaz. As the investigation was ongoing, a human chain was formed on 10 June by locals supporting Shahnewaz, demanding punishment for Habibur Rahman and other responsible staff,' Prothom Alo English reported. On 10 June, a mob vandalised Kachharibari, Tagore's ancestral home and favourite writing spot in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district. As India registers its strong protest, the question to ask is this: Is the current Muhammad Yunus administration the only one to be blamed for the naked rise of radical hatred? Bangladesh is tearing out pages of history to rewrite its origin story. It is pulling down old structures to make way for a radical new world – not metaphorically, but in reality. After toppling statues of its founding figure Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, removing his portraits from all government offices and foreign embassies, and replacing his face on currency notes, Bangladesh is now turning on Rabindranath Tagore. The Nobel laureate, who wrote the country's national anthem 'Amar Sonar Bangla', is being sacrificed as an inconvenient truth in Bangladesh's age of rage. As the protest turned tense, some people entered the site with the intention of attacking employees. Several staff members were injured in the process, the report stated. Bangladesh's cultural affairs ministry issued a statement in this regard, saying that no artefact or structure associated with Rabindranath Tagore was damaged during the incident. The attack had no political or communal motives, the ministry stressed in its statement, adding that security on the site has since been reinforced. Bangladeshi social media influencers, however, put out images depicting extensive damage to a bedroom and library at Kachharibari. Although it is hard to verify the veracity of these viral images, Bangladeshi political journalist Sahidul Hasan Khokon told me that a mob did break into Kachharibari, destroying everything in its path. 'The Yunus administration has become deft at underplaying attacks and skirting responsibility,' Khokon said. When Hindus were attacked in the country after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government, Khokon added, the interim government first denied them and then said that they were 'not communal but political'. 'This time, the interim government has concocted a story to blame the attack on Tagore's legacy on a parking ticket argument. It would have been comical if the event wasn't so tragic.' India responded firmly: 'We strongly condemn the vandalisation of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home by a mob in Bangladesh on June 8th 2025. The violent act is a disgrace to his inclusive philosophy,' MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention for 'a strong international protest', which she said, 'would at least deter in future any attack on monuments of cultural legacies'. Bangladesh's hate tale, though, has its genesis in Sheikh Hasina's Hefazat story. Also read: Yunus is struggling to remain relevant in Bangladesh Hasina's radical deal Muhammad Yunus has been complicit in giving a free rein to the radical elements within Bangladesh since Sheikh Hasina's exit. And this complicity is not limited to the rising influence of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh. As journalist Snigdhendu Bhattacharya wrote in his article for The Diplomat: 'Among other incidents that a section of Bangladesh's civil society members consider warning signs are the public rallies and poster campaign by the banned terror group, Hizb ut Tahir and the release of Mufti Jashimuddin Rahmani, chief of the Ansarullah Bangla Team, an Al-Qaeda-inspired militant outfit renamed as Ansar al Islam.' But it was Sheikh Hasina's nod to the Hefazat-e-Islam – a Deobandi Islamist advocacy group consisting mostly of religious teachers and students in Bangladesh – that led to the spread of radicalism across Bangladesh. According to Robayet Ahmed, a former Bangladeshi politician and NGO worker, Hefazat was formed with the assistance of Sheikh Hasina's arch-rival and the first female Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia, who is currently the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Hefazat had risen as a counter to Ganajagaran Mancha, a big-tent coalition of students and activists that demanded the death penalty for war criminals of 1971 and a progressive, secular Bangladesh. While Ganajagaran Mancha activists fought for a secular Bangladesh, Hefazat countered them with hard Islam, often accusing Mancha activists of spreading atheism in Bangladeshi society. 'Initially, Sheikh Hasina took a tough stance against Hefazat-e-Islam but later established amicable relations in exchange for financial and other incentives, following the advice of her then-military secretary, who even publicly participated in Hefazat's gatherings. At their recommendation, the curriculum was increasingly Islamised, and numerous madrasas were established, allowing Hefazat to grow under government patronage,' Ahmed wrote. Rezwana Karim Snigdha, associate professor at the Department of Anthropology in Jahangirnagar University in Bangladesh, told me over a phone call that Hasina betrayed her mandate for a secular, progressive Bangladesh by cutting a deal with Hefazat. 'She negotiated with the radical Hefazat, and pushed the country back into the hands of the very fundamentalists she had vowed to fight against.' According to Snigdha, Hefazat – consisting mainly of Sunni clerics heading a network of 19,199 Quami madrasas and their students – tore apart bit by bit not just the secular fabric of Bangladesh but also independent voices like hers. 'Before 2008, there were not so many madrasas in Dhaka. It was a modern, cosmopolitan city. Now, every lane has a madrasa, and all credit goes to Hasina.' Snigdha, a well-known gender rights activist in Bangladesh, is not surprised at what is happening in her country today. 'Independent voices like mine are being stifled, what women should and should not wear in public is being determined, and attacks on secular and historical institutions are becoming commonplace.' The Yunus administration could have, perhaps, stopped the fire of hate from engulfing Tagore's house. But it was lit long before the chief adviser assumed office. Deep Halder is an author and a contributing editor at ThePrint. He tweets @deepscribble. Views are personal. (Edited by Zoya Bhatti)
Indian Express
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Rabindranath Tagore will always be relevant to Bangladesh
The recent vandalism at Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral Kuthi Bari at Sirajganj in Bangladesh has raised justified criticism in both India and Bangladesh. The present interim government, headed by Muhammad Yunus, has condemned it, and two persons have been taken into custody. The government has also clarified that such incidents are unwarranted and undesirable. It also stated that Tagore remains a continuing source of inspiration, and such stray incidents do not, in any way, diminish his towering presence in the historical evolution of Bangladesh. In erstwhile East Pakistan, there was a concerted effort to denigrate Tagore. The state-approved radio was not allowed to play his songs. But his works had a significant influence on the 1952 Language Movement, which eventually led to the emergence of Bangladesh. Linguistic nationalism triumphed over communalism and challenged the very basis of the two-nation theory. For Maulana Bhashani, who played a historic role in challenging the government's diktat and helped in creating a firmer basis of Bengali nationalism, Tagore's works were an integral component of Bengali culture and heritage. One of the canards that was perpetrated by a small section of Islamists was that Tagore opposed the establishment of Dacca (now Dhaka) University, for which there is no historical evidence. The Dacca Nawab family also denied any truth in this. In fact, when Tagore visited the University in 1926, he was carried by students from the railway station to the place where he stayed. Similarly, there is a small section among Bangladeshi elites who wish to replace Amar Sonar Bangla, Bangladesh's national anthem. Qazi Abdul Mannan, a well-known Bangladeshi Tagore scholar, commented on Tagore's respect for medieval Sufi saints. Mannan observed that Tagore placed his faith in those who transcended narrow religious boundaries and hoped that humanists from both communities would be able to cement the gulf. For Tagore, the solution needed to be social rather than merely political. Tagore showed that even during the medieval period, many holy figures — many of them Muslims — attempted to bridge the divide. Tagore acknowledged Kazi Nazrul Islam's literary qualities and encouraged young Muslims in their literary pursuits. The song Amar Sonar Bangla reflected a hope of ushering in a new age. Tagore's best and most productive period was spent at Kuthi Bari in Shilaidaha on the banks of the Padma in the 1890s. His finest literary writings of this period include one of his most popular poems, Nirjharer Swapna Bhanga, which seemed to contain the rudimentary philosophy of Visva-Bharati. Here, he penned another classic: Dui Bigha Jomi. On January 10, 1972, when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman landed at Delhi airport, his speech included a quote from Tagore: 'Rikta āmi Nishma āmi dēbār kichu nē'I, āchē śudhu bhālōbāsa tā'i diẏē jai' (I am empty, I am free, I have nothing to give, only love, so I give). Hundreds of young Bangladeshis still visit Shilaidaha daily. Mannan noted that Tagore looked to the Hindu-Muslim riots as a sign of degradation of the contemporary Indian situation and made efforts to find an amicable solution. For instance, to elicit the opinion of intellectuals on the Hindu-Muslim conflict, Tagore initiated the Nizam Lectures in 1936, and Qazi Abdul Wadood delivered three lectures on this subject. The Tagore family led an autonomous and somewhat isolated existence among the Hindu Bengali elites of the late-nineteenth century. The family was considered 'Pirali' Brahmins – the word comes from the belief that Pir and Ali dined with the ancestors of the Tagores and converted them – who were ostracised socially by their orthodox counterparts. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah had considerable influence on the family. According to Bangladeshi author Ghulam Murshid: 'Bengal has not had a second genius as great and as many-sided as Tagore. But Tagore did not reach such heights by genius alone. The family and environment that he was born into stoked his genius and encouraged it to grow. This is true not just of his literary creativity but also of all other aspects of his genius.' Among the many stalwarts of modern Bengali literature, including Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Tagore is the most secular, modern, cosmopolitan, and Gladstonian liberal. He not only championed Bengali language and culture, but also minced no words to criticise them when needed. In one of his poems titled Bangamata, he held Bengal's affectionate, motherly culture responsible for its lack of interest in exploring the world beyond the confines of their comfort zone. His words transcend any religion or localism. He was — and will remain — relevant to Bangladesh, India and the world. The writer taught Political Science at Delhi University
India Gazette
12-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge demands PM Modi take suggestions from opposition to decide national strategies
New Delhi [India], June 12 (ANI): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi take suggestions from the opposition to decide the national strategies in the national interest. In a post on X, Kharge wrote about two incidents of national interest, which were of extreme worry, namely the US Centom Commander calling Pakistan a 'phenomenal counter terrorism partner' and vandalism of Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral house. 'There are two incidents on the international stage which are extremely worrying for us - US Centcom Commander calling Pakistan a 'phenomenal counter-terrorism partner' and then inviting the Pakistani Army Chief to the 250th anniversary of the US Army and Vandalism of the ancestral house of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, the author of 'Amar Sonar Bangla' - the national anthem of Bangladesh, in Sirajganj, Bangladesh. The Congress Party strongly condemns this. There are many other crucial issues of foreign policy,' the post read. Kharge also wrote that an all-party meeting and special Parliament session had been demanded to discuss the issues. 'We have been demanding an all-party meeting and a special session of Parliament since day one. The Modi government should take suggestions from the opposition, discuss them and decide the national strategy in the presence of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister. This has happened many times before. This would be necessary in the national interest,' the post further read. Earlier on June 11, Kharge hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and stated that he had never seen such a PM who told so many lies. The Congress President said that he has been in politics for 65 years, and alleged that PM Modi is deceiving the youth and taking votes by luring the poor. 'I have been saying this in Parliament for a long time, and I have never seen a Prime Minister who lies so much, makes so many mistakes, traps people, deceives the youth, and takes votes by trapping people. I have been in politics for 65 years. He has lied on everything and not even one has been implemented', Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters in Kalaburagi on Wednesday. (ANI)
United News of India
12-06-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
TMC, BJP flay vandalism of ancestral home of Tagore in Bangladesh
Kolkata, June 12 (UNI) West Bengal ruling Trinamool Congress and the principal opposition BJP on Thursday strongly condemned the vandalism of the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district. In a statement, the TMC said 'We strongly condemn the vandalism of Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district.' The ruling party said, "Gurudev is a symbol of Bengal's cultural heritage and a global icon of literature and humanism. Such acts of disrespect are an affront to every Bengali's identity and pride," and urged the Central government to take cognizance of this grave incident and initiate bilateral dialogue to ensure that the concerned authorities in Bangladesh act swiftly and bring the culprits to justice." Our icons are not collateral damage for mob fury," the TMC concluded. In a separate statement, BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar, while condemning the vandalism said " Shameful! outrageous! even the ancestral home of Nobel laureate and global icon Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore is not spared — vandalised under the rule of Mohammad Yunus in Bangladesh! In Shahjadpur of Sirajganj." He alleged that a mob of radical miscreants stormed into Tagore's historic Kachharibari, raising anti-Tagore slogans and vandalising the ancestral home of the poet, whose composition Janagana and Amar Sonar Bangla are the national anthems of India and Bangladesh, respectively. "They smashed windows, doors, and furniture, desecrating a priceless monument of Bengali literature, culture, and heritage. This attack is not just on a building — it is a direct assault on the soul of Bengali identity, on the legacy of free thought, and the very symbol of art and intellect. And yet, the Yunus administration remains silent. One question echoes loud — is Tagore now a 'criminal' too in Bangladesh, simply because he was a Hindu?" the Union Education Minister of states said. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari was more vocal while condemning the vandalism by the " jihadies". " The sacred legacy of our most precious Kobi Gourab Rabindranath Thakur was desecrated in Sirajganj, Bangladesh, where a mob led by BNP and Chhatra Shibir activists vandalized the historic Rabindra Kachari Bari. This shameful & utterly disgraceful act of destruction targeted a site that embodies Bengal's cultural soul and Tagore's universal message of humanity." Adhikari said on his X handle. He said windows shattered, furniture ruined, and a global icon's memory insulted. "I raised the issue during my speech at the Mahaprabhu Jagannath Dev's Snan Yatra event at ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations); Kolkata, yesterday. " This is a wake-up call for the Hindus of West Bengal. When extremist forces gain ground, they spare no one, not even a figure revered worldwide like Tagore. The attack on Kachari Bari is not just an assault on a building; it's an attack on our shared heritage, our identity, and our values," Adhikari said as he posted the video clips of vandalism in Bangladesh. UNI PC BD PRS
The Print
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Vandalisation of Tagore's ancestral home: Kharge demands special Parliament session to discuss foreign policy issues
'Vandalism of the ancestral house of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, the author of 'Amar Sonar Bangla' – the national anthem of Bangladesh, in Sirajganj, Bangladesh. The Congress Party strongly condemns this,' he said in a post on X. 'There are two incidents on the international stage which are extremely worrying for us. US Centcom Commander calling Pakistan a 'phenomenal counter-terrorism partner' and then inviting the Pakistani Army Chief to the 250th anniversary of the US Army. New Delhi, Jun 12 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday condemned the vandalism at the ancestral house of Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh and demanded a special session of Parliament in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the issue along with that of US invitation to Pakistan Army Chief to attend the 250th anniversary of US Army. Kharge said there are many other important and crucial issues of foreign policy. 'We have been demanding an all-party meeting and a special session of Parliament since day one. 'The Modi government should take suggestions from the opposition, discuss them and decide the national strategy in the presence of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister,' he said. The Congress president said this has happened many times before and this would be necessary in the national interest. The Congress has expressed concern over the invite to Pakistan Army chief by the United States and claimed that India suffered a 'huge diplomatic setback' from the US which is constantly hyphenating India and Pakistan and that the Modi government's foreign policy has 'failed' as it is driven by domestic political considerations. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the US's recent statements were both a 'challenge and a warning' and required serious thinking 'when the PM is only interested in playing divisive politics'. He also said Modi should leave aside his 'stubbornness' to call an all-party meeting and a special session of Parliament. 'Yesterday, Indian foreign policy and diplomacy received three huge, undeniable setbacks. The General of the US Central Command gives a statement that Pakistan is a phenomenal partner in counter-terrorism. What is phenomenal? On May 2, 2011, Osama Bin Laden was found in Abbottabad and you are calling that country a phenomenal partner,' Ramesh told PTI. So, the first 'setback' is the US general giving a 'clean chit' to Pakistan, he said. US Army General Michael Kurilla, Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), has said Pakistan is 'in an active counterterrorism fight right now and has been a phenomenal partner in the counterterrorism world'. PTI SKC ZMN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
