A Bangladeshi mystic sect known for promoting religious tolerance has called off their popular music festival due to threats from a particular group, marking the latest casualty in the tumultuous religious landscape following a student-led August revolution. The ousting of the long-standing autocratic prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, has led to a wave of protests in predominantly Muslim Bangladesh, with Islamist groups feeling emboldened after years of suppression. In the immediate aftermath of Hasina's removal, there were numerous attacks on Hindus, perceived by some as staunch supporters of her regime, as well as assaults on Muslim Sufi shrines by Islamic extremists.
Devotees of Lalon Shah, a 17th-century Bengali social reformer whose songs advocating religious tolerance continue to hold significant sway, had planned a two-day festival, or 'mela,' in the city of Narayanganj later this month. Last year, over 10,000 people attended the event, which featured musicians espousing the sect's philosophy—a blend of Hinduism and Sufism rather than adherence to a single religion—a stance that has irked certain religious factions. Narayanganj's deputy commissioner, Mohammad Mahmudul Hoque, stated that the city authorities had not greenlit the program due to security concerns and the potential for violence.
'This area is a stronghold for groups with opposing viewpoints,' Hoque noted. Festival organizer Shah Jalal expressed that this was the first time the event had to be canceled. Abdul Awal, a committee leader of Hefazat-e-Islam—a coalition of influential Islamist organizations—led marches earlier this month demanding the festival's halt. 'We cannot permit activities that contravene the true essence of Islam,' Awal declared. 'Under the guise of celebration, they promote indecency, with women singing and dancing, gambling, and the use of cannabis,' he alleged.
Lalon's followers, the ascetic 'Baul' singers who travel on foot from town to town, singing and seeking alms, are often labeled heretics by certain groups. 'The cancellation of Lalon Mela is a grim sign for all of us,' lamented cultural activist Rafiur Rabbi. 'It is disheartening that the government is succumbing to majority pressure. Does this imply that minorities will no longer have a platform?' However, the interim government's cultural affairs advisor, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, asserted that they were doing their best. 'The fall of Sheikh Hasina and her departure from the country created a void that resulted in a series of incidents, but we have managed to restore order,' he stated.
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