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Bauls unite to protest assault

Amanur Aman from Char Ramnagar, Rajbari
At a large gathering at Lalon Bhakta Dham, bauls and devotees of mystic legend Lalon Fakir strongly protested the assault on them on April 5 by local influential people.
They arranged the gathering at Lalon Bhakta Dham in Char Ramnagar of Pangsha upazila in Rajbari where a similar gathering was supposed to be held on April 5. On that day, local bigots foiled the programme and forced bauls (folk musicians) and Lalon followers to perform tawba (confession of guilt). They even chopped off the hair and moustaches of 28 devotees.
Hundreds of bauls and devotees from across the country attended the gath-ering, led by Baul Mohammad Sai, Thursday night and raised voice against the heinous deed of bigots. A number of foreigners including baul researchers also attended the programme.
This time around police ensured security at the programme.
In his emotional speech, Mohammad Sai, who leads Lalon Bhakta Dham and was a victim of the April 5 incident, said he would never do anything to harm society or people.
"I have been following baul ideology for 40 years. I never found anything wrong in it because the baul ideology always upholds humanity."
Among others, Baul Mantu Shah, who has the entire Quran memorised, Fakir Warsh Ali Shah, Fakir Khedm Mondol and writer and thinker Farhad Majhar spoke at the programme.
The speakers said songs of Lalon follow Sufi and Vaishnav traditions. In course of time, this has turned into a sect. They said bauls strictly follow their own customs. They prefer to distance themselves from worldly desires, a philosophy developed by Lalon about200years ago.
Protesting the April-5 incident, Keith Edward Curti, an American who is doing a research on baul philosophy in Bangladesh,
said everyone has the right to follow their own thinking.
Singer Anushey Anadil of the band Bangla travelled to Char Ramnagar from Dhaka for the event. She demanded punishment of the people involved in the assault on bauls.
Mohammad Sai arranges different programmes related to Lalon every year at Lalon Bhakta Dham. He wears a shroud and claims to have given up all earthly desires. He is to arrange a programme called SadhuSanga to "better understand death" and taste "divine love". It is also called Challisha, which Muslims observe on the 4oth day of someone's death. This had allegedly angered the local fanatics.
Karim Bazaria of the same area allegedly became angry with Mohammad Sai as well. Karim's two daughters, a son and a daughter-in-law have started following Lalon philosophy and became a part of the Lalon Bhakta Dham.
Mohammad Sai had initiated them.
Karim allegedly played a key role in instigating the April-5 assault.
Joygon Khatun, 40, daughter of Karim, has been following baul philosophy for six years, her younger sister Jamela for three years and her brother Alam and his wife Rumi for a year.
"I have heard about the involvement of my father in the incident. But we have had no relation with him for the last eight years. I took up baul ideology on my own,” Joygon said. She termed the April-5 incident very bad and ugly.
A few of Karim's men often taunted Mohammad
Sai and threatened Karim's revenge as the latter gave bayat (initiation) to Karim's two daughters and son, Mohammad Sai told The Daily Star.
The Daily Star correspondent tried to reach Karim Bazaria at his home but he was not available.