In yet another disturbing act of vandalism, miscreants have defaced a mural of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore on the boundary wall of Bangladesh’s Khulna Railway Station by smearing it with black ink. The incident triggered widespread anger and condemnation among locals, with a cultural activist suspecting the involvement of an organised group. Police received the information on Friday afternoon and initiated an investigation. All businesses across the road were closed on Friday, making it difficult to determine who defaced the mural and when. Khulna City Corporation (KCC) took the initiative to paint the murals ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s scheduled visit to the city. The murals depicted the 2024 July uprising, the Sundarbans, the historic Sixty Dome Mosque and the jute industry, while also honouring distinguished personalities who enriched the region’s art, literature and cultural landscape, including Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. The wall beside Old Jessore Road featured portraits of prominent figures including Fakir Lalon Shah, artist SM Sultan, Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, former President Ziaur Rahman and poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt. However, Tagore’s was the only portrait found defaced with black ink. By defacing the portrait, they have exposed their narrowmindedness and sick mentality. They have carried out similar acts in Dhaka as well. These incidents are being orchestrated deliberately. Those responsible must be identified and brought to justice. This may not stop with Rabindranath; they could target other eminent personalities too. Tagore an inseparable part of Bangladesh’s cultural identity and a beacon of inspiration, he urged people from all walks of life to raise a united voice against the perpetrators. The latest incident came nearly a month after a graffiti mural of Tagore outside the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka was defaced with black ink. Last month, at least 37 prominent Bangladeshi citizens expressed grave concern over the incident involving the defacement of Tagore mural in the capital. The signatories warned that such growing incidents risk emboldening religious extremists and deepening communal tensions in Bangladesh. They recalled how Pakistani rulers had politically portrayed Tagore as anti-Muslim in the 1960s, comparing that campaign with the recent defacement of his portrait. Language, literature, art and culture are indivisible common heritage of humanity. No religious, geographical or ideological differences should be used to divide cultural traditions.
What Goes Wrong with Tagore’s Mural in Bangladesh
