The event had been scheduled for Thursday at the home of a British-based Bangladeshi expatriate in Hatia village, under Kulanj Union in Dirai upazila. The organiser, Shawkat Ali, had planned the small gathering to celebrate his daughter’s birthday. Local Baul singers Tanisha and Nila were due to perform.
The cancellation followed a written application submitted to the officer-in-charge of Dirai Police Station on Wednesday by Ata(h)ar Ali and Kamrul Hasan, representing a group of villagers. They called for the event to be stopped, arguing that it could create tension in the community. Police subsequently contacted Shawkat, who decided to cancel the programme to avoid an unpleasant situation and preserve social harmony.
Hatia village lies close to Ujan Dhal, in neighbouring Taral Union, the birthplace of renowned Baul musician Shah Abdul Karim. His songs have long been an important part of Bangladesh’s folk music heritage, making the cancellation particularly notable in an area associated with the Baul tradition.
In their application, the objectors described Hatia as a village with a longstanding religious and Islamic heritage. They pointed to the presence of an alim madrasa, a shrine associated with a religious figure and a number of Islamic scholars living in the area. They argued that a musical gathering featuring female performers could provoke dissatisfaction among residents and potentially lead to an unwanted confrontation. They asked the authorities to take steps to protect the village’s religious traditions and social harmony.
Kamrul Hasan said musical events had taken place in the village in the past, but such programmes were no longer customary. He cited the village’s mosques, madrasa and annual religious gatherings as reasons residents were concerned about the proposed event.
“Many people feared that obscenity might take place in the name of music,” he said, explaining that they had requested the programme be stopped on religious grounds. The claim reflected the objectors’ concerns; it was not established that the planned gathering would have involved obscene material.
Shawkat Ali said he had intended to arrange a modest musical programme at his home for his daughter’s birthday. After objections were raised and he received a telephone call from the police, he decided not to proceed, taking the need to maintain good relations within the community into account.
Dirai Police Station officer-in-charge Aminul Islam said the police had made enquiries and found that the planned event was a private Baul music gathering. After objections emerged, officers contacted the organiser, who subsequently informed them that he would not hold the programme.
The cancellation comes after another event in Dirai was called off following opposition from a group identifying itself as the Committee for Preventing Anti-Islamic Activities in Dirai. A friendly football match between local girls’ team Swapnachura Sporting Club and Sylhet’s Jara Sporting Club had been scheduled for 5 October at the Dirai upazila stadium. The match was cancelled amid objections, prompting widespread discussion and criticism.
Jahangir Alam, vice-president of the Sunamganj district committee of Udichi Shilpigoshthi, said it was regrettable that two events had been cancelled or suspended following local objections. He noted that the latest incident had followed opposition to the girls’ football match.
Although concerns about religious values and social harmony were being cited as reasons for opposing the events, he said the authorities and law-enforcement agencies needed to consider how cultural activities and opportunities for girls to participate in sport could be protected.
The two incidents have raised questions about how local authorities can respond when cultural or sporting activities face community opposition. They also highlight the challenge of balancing residents’ concerns with the need to preserve space for artistic expression and women’s participation in public life.
