Cultural activists on Saturday demanded reforming culture and building a state for all, free from discrimination.
They also called for establishing harmony between all religions, races and classes in the country.聽聽
Gonohotta O Nipiron Birodhi Shilpi Somaj organised an event titled 鈥楻astra Sanskar Sanskrity Sanskar鈥� in the morning in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh in Dhaka while another rally was held at the Central Shaheed Minar.
At the rally, Gonohotta O Nipiron Birodhi Shilpi Somaj placed a ten-point demand for reforming culture which was read by musician and activist Arup Rahee.
The demands are abolishing colonial and ethno-nationalist art practice and creating space for freedom of speech and thinking as a democratic right, democratic reform of institutions, abolishing contradiction between religion and secularism from the state, abolishing ethno-nationalist philosophy from society and the state, working for changing the idea of minority in an inclusive practice, shaping the state for multi-race-religion-gender, abolishing partisanship from autonomous cultural institutions, stopping attacks for religious identity and artworks, building a memorial for martyrs of the recent mass uprising, and creating a cultural council for art practice.
Artist-critic Mustafa Zaman, curator Amirul Rajiv, singer Bithi Ghosh, photographer Munem Wasif, artist Amal Akash, among others, spoke at the event.
聽鈥榃e don鈥檛 know why the government is taking time to stop sectarian attacks. It must stop. We urge the ministry of home affairs to take immediate steps to control countrywide law and order,鈥� said Amal Akash.
Bikhubdho Theatrekormigon, Alokchitri Samaj, Drishomadhom Shilpisamaj and Bangladesh Sangeetshilpi Samaj jointly organised a rally at 3:00pm at the Central Shaheed Minar.
In a statement they demanded neutral judicial investigation into every killing, making a proper list of them and giving proper treatment to those injured during this mass uprising.
The statement was read by artist Ritu Sattar while photographer and rights activist Shahidul Alam, photographer and Sramik Samhati president Taslima Akhter, theatre activist Kazi Roksana Ruma, artist-critic Mustafa Zaman, designer Edila Farid Turin, musician Probar Ripon and professor of the Bangla department at Dhaka University Mohammad Azam, among others, spoke at the event.
Curator Amirul Rajiv in his the welcome speech mentioned that the artists condemned attacks against people, houses, institutions and sculptures.
鈥榃e urge people from all walks of life to resist the attacks; create harmony and peace for all people in the country. We want to start our work,鈥� said Amirul Rajiv.聽聽聽聽
Students Against Discrimination鈥檚 liaison committee coordinator Mahfuz Alam also spoke at the event.
鈥榃e have to fight a lot. Our struggle is not over. We urge artists to practise art for the ordinary people of the country. We are trying our best to stop attacks on people from different religions and artists,鈥� said Mahfuz Alam.
Besides, Action to Action organised a concert titled Awaj Utha, Katha Ka at the Chobir hat at Suhrawardy Udyan. Musician Probar Ripon, Sina Hasan, Ahmed Hasan Sunny, rapper Hannan and Shezan of the band Highway performed at the event while visual artists created art works to celebrate reopening of Chobir Hat after the resignation of the Sheikh Hasina government.
鈥榃e want to coexist in a new Bangladesh. We want a Bangladesh for all people, not tagging anyone as anything to create discrimination,鈥� said Syeda Nilima Dola, an organiser of the event.
