Zakir Hossain From Dhaka
In a shocking incident that has sparked outrage across both Bangladesh and India, a mob vandalised the ancestral mansion of Nobel literature laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh’s Sirajganj district following a scuffle over parking fees. Authorities have suspended public access to the site and formed a three-member committee to investigate the incident.
The unrest began on June 8 when a visitor arrived at the Rabindra Kachharibari— also known as Rabindra Memorial Museum— with his family. A dispute reportedly broke out between the visitor and museum staff at the entrance over a motorcycle parking fee. According to local media, the situation escalated when the visitor was allegedly confined inside an office room and physically assaulted by the staff.
The incident triggered widespread anger among locals. On June 11, residents of the area formed a human chain to protest the alleged mistreatment of the visitor. The protest soon turned violent when a mob stormed the historic premises, vandalising the auditorium of the Kachharibari and physically attacking a director of the institution. Some reports suggest the attackers shouted slogans against Tagore and damaged windows and furniture in the building.
In response to the violence, the Department of Archaeology of Bangladesh has constituted a three-member probe committee to investigate the incident. The committee has been instructed to submit its findings within five working days.
Md Habibur Rahman, Custodian of the Kachharibari, told journalists: “The authority has temporarily suspended the access of the visitors into the Kacharibari due to unavoidable circumstances.” He added that the entire premises is now under surveillance by the department.
Located in Shahzadpur in the Rajshahi division, the Kachharibari served as both a residence and revenue office of the Tagore family during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Rabindranath Tagore, who later won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, spent considerable time at this estate, where he penned many of his celebrated works. The site has since been preserved as a cultural museum and heritage centre dedicated to the poet’s legacy.
The incident has drawn condemnation in India as well. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the attack, calling it an affront to Bengali culture and heritage. Amit Malviya, BJP’s national IT cell in-charge, posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Tagore belongs to the world, but he is the pride of every Bengali. Yet across the border, his legacy is being trampled — and here in West Bengal, under Mamata Banerjee’s rule, we are witnessing something eerily similar.”
As authorities continue their probe, questions have emerged about the security and preservation of cultural heritage sites in Bangladesh, especially those with deep historical ties to the Indian subcontinent.