Let everyone sing without fear, let Bengalis live free of fear: Chhayanaut president

Chhayanaut president Sarwar Ali has said that malign forces are attempting to sever traditional Bangla music from its rich heritage. He said he wishes to hear a message of reassurance in society—that everyone can sing without fear, that all expressions of culture can take place without hindrance, and that Bengalis can live free of fear.

Sarwar Ali made these remarks this morning, Tuesday, at Chhayanaut’s programme to welcome the Bengali new year at the Ramna Batamul in the capital.

The Chhayanaut president said, “Pohela Boishakh is a special day for the expression of Bengali culture and national identity. As in the past six decades, on this day we wipe away all gloom and affliction and look back on the year gone by. Last year too, the new year programme was held smoothly at Ramna. On 16 December, Victory Day was celebrated on an open stage.”

“Two days later, in the dead of night, came the painful memory of broken harmoniums, tablas and tanpuras at the Chhayanaut cultural building, and torn children’s books at Nalonda. That same night, two leading newspaper offices were set on fire. The next day, Udichi was attacked. Just days before these violent incidents, Baul artistes were humiliated. The horrific incident of 2001 at this very place, Ramna Batamul also comes to mind,” he continued.

Sarwar Ali said that music, which accompanies the joys, sorrows, unions, separations and crises of Bengalis, which has been a source of strength from the Liberation War to all struggles for rights, and which binds people of all religions and communities in harmony—some malign forces seek to frighten peace-loving people away from that music. They are attempting to uproot traditional Bangla music from its rich heritage. Intolerance has increased in society. There is growing fear of collective harassment for expressing one’s views.

The Chhayanaut president also said that Persian civilisation is now facing severe devastation due to US-Israeli aggression. He said, “People around the world are distressed and fearful today. On the first morning of the Bengali new year in our country, everyone hopes for world peace. We want to hear a message of reassurance in society—that journalists can express their views freely without fear; that we can all sing without fear; that all expressions of culture can take place without hindrance—and that Bengalis can live free of fear.”

Sarwar Ali said, “We dream of such a motherland, ‘Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, where knowledge is free…’”

Today’s programme at the Ramna Batamul began at 6:15 am. The event concluded at 8:25 am with the national anthem.