Special Correspondent / Court Reporter, DHAKA — A Dhaka court on Sunday placed four individuals, described as ‘ultra-revolutionaries,’ on police remand for their involvement in defacing a graffiti mural of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in the capital. The accused allegedly sought to instigate chaos, incite religious hatred, and disrupt communal harmony through their actions.
The investigation officer, Sub-Inspector (SI) Md. Abdul Gaffar Himel of Shahbagh Police Station, produced the accused before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court on Sunday (October 11, 2026), seeking a 10-day remand for each. Following the hearing, Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam granted varying terms of remand.
The primary accused, Al Noor Mohammad Ayash (29), member-secretary of an organization named ‘Rashtra Sanglap Forum,’ and Md. Sakibul Hasan (19) were placed on a three-day remand. The other two accused, Md. Sujon Mia (18) and Khandaker Marzia Khandaker (27), were placed on a two-day remand. Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi confirmed the court order.
Court Proceedings & Arguments
During the hearing, Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi argued that the acts of the accused amounted to a “declaration of war against the government.” He noted that the group had been consistently issuing statements wounding religious sentiments to ruin the country’s cultural harmony.
“The accused, Marzia, smeared ink over the graffiti of Rabindranath Tagore just ahead of the Durga Puja festival to intentionally provoke tensions,” Faruqi stated. “Their goal is to create panic through mob actions and go viral. A larger circle is operating behind them, and interrogation is essential to identify the co-conspirators.”
In defense, the lawyers for the accused argued that Ayash serves as the president of a political party and claimed that the allegations of provocative speeches and insulting statements against the Prime Minister were false. The defense also argued that Ayash and Sakibul were frontline activists who participated actively in the July mass uprising.
In response, the Public Prosecutor remarked, “Everyone is a hero of the July uprising, but that does not place anyone above the law or grant immunity for criminal acts.”
Background of the Incident
The arrests took place on Saturday (October 10) in the capital’s Segunbagicha area, adjacent to the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, when Ayash and his associates attempted to whitewash and deface the portrait of Rabindranath Tagore. Police detained them on the spot.
Ayash has previously drawn public attention and criticism for his controversial roles in various post-July uprising events, including clashes at Dhanmandi 32 and political altercations.
The targeted graffiti was part of a recent civic beautification project. On October 5, the Dhaka South City Corporation evicted illegal structures from the Segunbagicha footpath and painted portraits of 10 legendary cultural icons—including Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin, Satyajit Ray, Rabindranath Tagore, and Kazi Nazrul Islam—to honor their contributions to the nation’s arts and literature.
