2 arrested over Islamic song at Ctg Puja mandap

The Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) have shown the two people arrested, who were earlier detained for questioning, in connection with the performance of an Islamic song on the stage of a Durga Puja mandap in Chattogram.

The arrested are Shahidul Islam, 42, a teacher at Tanzimul Ummah Madrasah, and Md Nurul Islam, 34, a teacher at Darul Irfan Madrasah. 

Both were among the six Chattogram Cultural Academy members who performed two songs on stage on Thursday evening. The duo was taken into custody during raids early Friday.

Others accused in the case include Sajal Dutta, joint general secretary of the Chattogram metropolitan unit of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, along with Chattogram Cultural Academy members Abdullah Iqbal, Rony, Golam Mustafa, and Md Mamun.

Sukant Bikas Mahajan, treasurer of the Puja Udjapan Parishad filed with Kotwali Police Station on Friday evening, according to a press release from the CMP. 

Mahajan said Sajal and six singing members hurt religious sentiments and tried to create a chaotic environment. "With the cooperation of everyone including the administration, the army has prevented the attempt."

The six performers on Thursday evening took the stage at the JM Sen Hall mandap in the city's Rahmatganj area and sang two songs following an invitation from Sajal Dutta, said CMP Deputy Commissioner (crime and operations) Md Roish Uddin.

He said that after the cultural programme started, the Academy's six members arrived at the venue and performed the songs on stage after Sajal invited them.

The two Bengali songs they performed were "Age Ki Sundor Din Kataitam" by Baul Shah Abdul Karim and "Shudhu Musolmaner Lagi Aseniko Islam" by Chowdhury Abdul Halim.

Tension rose as Hindu devotees present at the venue expressed displeasure over the second song, while a video of the performance went viral on Facebook soon after and sparked controversy, said DC Roish.

"We are investigating whether this was an attempt to ignite a communal conflict. We are questioning the two detainees and working on taking the other performers into custody," he said.

Moreover, he said, police were looking for Sajal, who went into hiding right after the incident. 

Meanwhile, the Puja Udjapan Parishad has permanently expelled Sajal Dutta. The Parishad said Sajal was solely responsible for hurting the religious sentiment of the Hindu devotees as he invited and allowed the six members of Chattogram Cultural Academy to perform. 

The Parishad has also removed the unit's president Lion Ashish Bhattacharya, general secretary Hillol Sen.

Amid the many discussions regarding the video online, some were linking the group with Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir. However, both Jamaat and Shibir have said that the musical group was not affiliated with any of their wings.

Chattogram Cultural Academy also denied any link with Jamaat or Shibir. It also rejected the allegations that they forcibly took the stage, stressing they were invited by the puja committee to perform.