What was once a sanctuary of music and learning was left scarred overnight.
Chhayanaut, a symbol of Bengal’s cultural soul, woke up to devastation after an attack late Thursday night. Broken instruments, burnt books, torn pages of musical notes and the smell of smoke replaced the familiar sounds of Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrul Geeti that usually echo through its halls.
The violence followed the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inquilab Manch. As emotions ran high across Bangladesh, a crowd gathered outside Chhayanaut in Dhanmondi shortly after midnight. Soon after, people with covered faces reportedly entered the premises and began vandalising the building. Musical instruments were smashed, artworks damaged, and fire was set to parts of the institution. Rare books and important documents were reduced to ashes.
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Chhayanaut’s general secretary, Laisa Ahmed Lisa, condemned the attack and called for a fair investigation. While expressing condolences over Hadi’s death, she questioned how a cultural institution could be targeted in connection with the incident.
Rupankar Bagchi on this incident
In this regard, eminent singer Rupankar Bagchi told News Ei Samay, “I don’t believe that among people who make music or are connected to music, there should be any borders or religious boundaries. If such boundaries do exist, that is truly heartbreaking.”
He added, “ Chayanaut is a very old institution dedicated to Rabindra Sangeet. For a long time, this institution has been doing research-based work. Today, as a musician—no matter where I come from—I am deeply pained.”
He started reminiscing and shared, “I remember during the Covid period, Chhayanaut organised a programme on 25th Boishakh where everyone sat together in a circle on the veranda of the house and sang. That moment had gone viral on social media back then. Seeing and hearing such things truly brings peace to the mind. When the heart feels restless, the kind of calm that Rabindranath Tagore’s songs bring is unmatched.”
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Bagchi concluded, “Attacks on people who work with music and art feel extremely shameful to me.”
Videos circulating on social media show the extent of the destruction, with voices heard declaring that there is “no place for Indian culture” inside the space. The authenticity of these videos is yet to be verified.
For generations, Chhayanaut has stood as a beacon of art, research and resistance through culture. The attack has sent shockwaves through artists and cultural practitioners, raising troubling questions about the safety of artistic spaces in times of unrest.
