Sarod virtuoso Shiraz Ali Khan was compelled to flee Dhaka under conditions of fear and uncertainty, reportedly concealing his Indian identity to ensure his safety, after an Islamist mob carried out an arson attack on Chhayanaut, one of Bangladesh’s most respected Bangla cultural institutions where he was scheduled to perform. The episode has drawn attention to the growing dangers faced by artists and custodians of Bangla cultural heritage amid a deteriorating security environment under the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, during a period when Islamist groups are widely seen as exerting increasing influence.
According to media reports, the arson attack on the prominent cultural organisation forced the acclaimed musician to leave the country in haste. Shiraz Ali Khan, the grandson of legendary sarod maestro Ali Akbar Khan, had been invited to perform at the Chhayanaut Shongskriti Bhaban in Dhaka on December 19. However, the concert was cancelled after a violent mob vandalised and set fire to the premises a day earlier, reducing large parts of the complex to ashes, as reported by Dhaka-based BDNews24.
Shiraz Ali Khan managed to reach Kolkata on December 20, but only after, as reports noted, deliberately suppressing his Indian identity during his escape. A report in The Times of India stated that a fellow musician who had been travelling with him was still stranded in Bangladesh at the time. Recounting his ordeal, Shiraz told BDNews24 that for the first time in his life he genuinely feared for his safety. He said it was deeply distressing to realise that openly identifying himself as an Indian artist in Bangladesh could put his life at risk. Expressing relief at having returned safely to India, he also conveyed gratitude that he had narrowly avoided harm.
Describing his escape in greater detail, Shiraz said that while fleeing Dhaka he was stopped at a checkpoint. Aware of heightened anti-India sentiment, he chose not to disclose his nationality. Instead, he spoke in the Brahmanbaria dialect, which he had learned from his mother, to avoid drawing suspicion. He described this decision as one born out of fear and desperation, underscoring how unsafe the situation had become for someone associated with Bangla culture and Indian heritage.
The arson attack occurred during a period of unrest in Bangladesh following the killing of radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi, which had triggered violent protests across the country. However, Chhayanaut has maintained that the attack on its premises was not directly linked to Hadi’s assassination. According to the organisation, anti-Bengali cultural groups exploited the volatile atmosphere to target the institution, as reported by The Daily Star.
Founded in 1961, Chhayanaut holds a deeply symbolic place in Bangladesh’s cultural history. The organisation emerged after the Pakistani military banned celebrations of Rabindranath Tagore’s birth centenary, and since then it has been regarded as a guiding light of Bangla identity, language, music, and cultural expression. Over the decades, it has played a central role in preserving and promoting Bengali heritage through music, dance, and the arts.
Commenting on the attack, Arifa Rahman Ruma, an assistant professor at Bangladesh Open University based in the United States, wrote that Chhayanaut, as a historic cultural institution, was being targeted by extremist groups. She alleged that despite the attackers being clearly visible, they were unlikely to face consequences and might even be rewarded, reflecting what she described as the troubling state of accountability in the country.
Observers have noted that political killings, attacks on minorities, and the rise of religious extremism have become increasingly frequent in Bangladesh under the current interim setup. Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, individuals convicted or accused of terrorism and war crimes, including figures such as Jasimuddin Rahmani, were released, while Islamist groups with alleged links to Pakistan gained prominence and influence in mainstream politics.
Statements attributed to leaders associated with Jamaat-linked student groups have further alarmed critics. One such statement calling for the crushing of leftist groups and cultural organisations like Chhayanaut and Udichi sparked outrage, though Jamaat-e-Islami later distanced itself from the remarks. Jamaat’s historical association with Pakistan during Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation Movement has long been controversial, and recent surveys suggest the party could emerge as a significant force in the February 2026 general elections.
The broader climate of intolerance has also been reflected in other incidents, including the lynching of Hindu factory worker Dipu Chandra Das over blasphemy allegations and attacks on media organisations such as The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, incidents in which activists from Jamaat’s student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, have been accused of involvement.
Against this backdrop, the destruction of the Chhayanaut building and the forced flight of a renowned musician have come to symbolise the sharp decline in law and order and the precarious state of cultural freedom in Bangladesh. Shiraz Ali Khan told BDNews24 that the events of December 19 were not merely acts of vandalism against property or musical instruments, but a direct assault on culture, artists, and shared heritage.
Shiraz, whose great-grandfather Ustad Allauddin Khan hailed from Brahmanbaria in present-day Bangladesh, had travelled to the country on December 16 to reconnect with his roots and participate in cultural programmes. He said he came with humility and respect, hoping to share the musical legacy of his family and the Maihar tradition. However, he made it clear that he would not return to Bangladesh until artists, music, and cultural institutions are treated with respect and provided adequate protection.
Reports indicated that nearly every room of the six-storey Chhayanaut cultural building was looted or set ablaze, with musical instruments and artefacts badly damaged. Images showed destroyed harmoniums and gutted interiors. Although police and army personnel eventually intervened, the damage had already been done, forcing visiting musicians to abandon their plans and leave the country prematurely.
The incident has been widely interpreted as a stark indicator of who currently holds sway in a nation that once took pride in its linguistic and cultural heritage. The attack on Chhayanaut—an institution born out of resistance to the imposition of Urdu over Bangla—has been seen by many as a bitter irony in a country whose 1971 Liberation Movement was deeply rooted in the defence of Bangla language and culture.
