Rabindranath Tagore Mural Defaced in Bangladesh's Khulna with Anti-India Posters

A mural of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore was defaced with black ink on the boundary wall of Khulna Railway Station in Bangladesh, while posters nearby accused him of hostility towards Muslims and East Bengal. Residents spotted the damage on Friday morning, and police launched an investigation after learning about the incident that afternoon.

Details

Khulna Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Lokman Hossain stated that all businesses across the road were closed on Friday, which makes it hard to know who ruined the mural and when. The Khulna City Corporation had originally paid for this artwork before a visit to the city by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Other portraits on the same wall, including those of Kazi Nazrul Islam, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, and painter SM Sultan, were left alone by the vandals.

Reactions

Khulna City Corporation Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju condemned the act, saying the portraits were meant to help children and teenagers learn free thinking. Cultural activist Shariful Islam Salim alleged that an organised group did this and warned that other prominent figures might also be targeted next. Salim noted that similar acts have taken place in Dhaka as well, where four people were detained in October for a related Tagore mural defacement.

Context

Attacks on public artwork and cultural symbols often happen during times of social and political tension in the region. Local authorities and cultural groups monitor such incidents closely because they touch upon sensitive questions of national identity and history.