Song on Ctg puja mandap sparks outrage

A group of youths sang a song calling for Islamic revolution on the stage of a puja mandap in the city of Chattogram last night, causing widespread outrage.

A video clip of the surrender at JM Sen Hall in Rahmatganj area went viral on social media.

In another video of the incident, the six men were seen singing in chorus a song about harmony between people of different religions.

Hillol Sen Uzzal, general secretary of the Puja Udjapan Parishad in Chattogram, told the Daily Star that the incident shocked the local Hindu community and created a tense situation in the area.

Farida Khanom, deputy commissioner of Chattogram, then visited the spot and said that a case would be opened in the matter.

Those involved will be tried in a day or two, she added.

Uzzal said the incident happened around 7 p.m.

“When I heard about this, I went there and found that the men introduced themselves as members of the Chattogram Cultural Academy and sought permission from Sajal Dutta, joint general secretary of the Chattogram Puja Udjapan Parishad, to sing some patriotic songs,” he said.

“In good faith, Sajal gave them permission. But then they sang an Islamic song,” he added.

Apurba Jahangir, deputy press secretary to the chief advisor, wrote on Facebook that he reached the venue after 8 pm and saw the puja organizers announce on stage that Sajal Dutta was expelled from the Puja Udjapan Parishad.

Qadaruddin Shishir, AFP fact-checking editor in Bangladesh, wrote on Facebook that people who say the viral clip is fake or edited are wrong.

He added that Sajal Dutta invited a local cultural organization. “A source reported that the organization is made up of pro-Jamaat cultural activists.”

A correspondent of this newspaper saw a group of local residents chanting slogans denouncing the organizers of the puja at JM Sen Hall, amid the heavy presence of law enforcement officials.

Selim Jaman, president of the Chattogran Cultural Academy, told reporters that the singers went there because they were invited by Sajal Dutta. The two songs they played are about harmony. “Some people are spreading an edited video to circulate misinformation.”

Meanwhile, Sadek Abdullah, publicity secretary of Chhatra Shibir, issued a statement, saying his organization had nothing to do with the incident.

“We demand the formation of an impartial investigative body to find out the real reason behind the incident,” he said.