The driving force of the band ‘Joler Gaan’, Bangladesh singer Rahul Ananda’s 140-year-old house was torched by a mob as attacks on the minority Hindu communities and their places of worship continue to be vandalized.
The house of the legendary folk musician was the hub of cultural activities and was even visited by French President Emmanuel Macron during his 2023 Dhaka visit.
The cultural activist, along with his wife and teenage son, had to flee their house and are reported to be staying at an unknown location.
House of Renowned Bangladeshi Folk Singer Rahul Ananda Torched
Saiful Ismail General, who was one of the founding members of the band ‘Joler Gaan’, told a prominent Bangladeshi media outlet, The Daily Star, that Rahul Ananda and his family were shaken and took refuge in a secret place.
He also revealed that Rahul did not own the house and it was on rent.
Rahul Ananda was a renowned exponent of folk music and owned a mammoth collection of more than 3,000 musical instruments, which he designed and made over the years.
The Daily Star reported that a mob broke into the house after breaking the main gate and vandalized the place, looting whatever they could get their hands on.
Later they set fire to the house along with the huge tranche of musical instruments.
The student movement, which started as a stir against the reservation given to descendants of the Bangladeshi Freedom Movement, soon changed into a movement to oust Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid, who is the daughter of the father of the nation, Sheikh Mujib Ur Rahman, also known as Bangabandhu.
Sheikh Hasina had to relinquish power and was forced to flee to India. Sheikh Hasina is believed to be hiding in a secret location in India.
After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, attacks against Hindu minorities have increased. In a grim instance of irony, Joler Gaan posted a song on their official Facebook page. The song called for ‘love, peace, and solidarity’.
The post also featured a lengthy caption in Bengali which stated it was the last song recorded in the house, which was the melting pot of many creative personalities as well as acted as the recording studio of the band.
An excerpt from the caption, translated from Bengali, read:
‘This song was the last recorded song in this room. What you see in the video, none of that exists today. Amid the unrest, music united us. This song is our parting gift to everyone.’
A well-known all-women band from Tripura, ‘Meghbalika’, shared a video on Facebook which showed a conversation with Rahul Ananda.
The folk musician revealed that he started as a guest in the house but soon it became so dear that it became a family home for him.
Also Read: Fact Check: Did Rioters Burn Down the House of Hindu Cricketer Liton Das in Bangladesh? Know the Complete Story
