On August 5th, Sheikh Hasina resigned as Prime Minister of Bangladesh following months of protests. The Bangladeshi Army subsequently took control of the administration. Amid the unrest, Islamist groups exploited the situation to attack minority Hindus, committing acts of violence and looting properties. One notable victim was the renowned Bangladeshi singer Rahul Ananda, whose home was looted and burned by an Islamist mob.

On the afternoon of August 5th, a mob attacked the rental home of Rahul Ananda, the lead singer of Joler Gaan. At the time of the attack Rahul, his wife Shukla, his son Tota, and other family members were at home. They managed to escape and found refuge in an undisclosed location. Saiful Islam Jarnal, a founding member of Joler Gaan, stated, "Rahul Da and his family are shaken and have taken shelter in a secret place known to only a few. We could not contact him yet. It was not even his house; it was a rental he had been living in for decades. I came to know the incident happened around 4 pm. From what I have heard, a group of goons attacked the residence, and Rahul Da, Shukla Di, Tota, and other family members somehow got out."

A family source told The Daily Star, "As soon as they had broken the gate, they started ravaging the house, taking whatever they could find. They took everything from furniture and mirrors to valuables. After that, they torched the whole house along with Rahul Da’s musical instruments." Approximately 3,000 irreplaceable musical instruments, which Rahul had meticulously crafted over the years, were destroyed. The monetary value of the household items was close to Tk 10 lakh. Jarnal remarked, "But how could you put a price on the instruments which he so lovingly built?"

Some acquaintances tried to downplay the incident, attributing it to the house’s proximity to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s residence in Dhanmondi 32. The band posted a video on Instagram showing the instruments and the house's condition post-attack, describing it as heartbreaking.

In a heartfelt Facebook post, the band shared a song and expressed their sorrow, writing, "Maybe we can rebuild this musical instrument, song or arranged family in a long time. But, how can I extinguish this fire of anger and vengeance? Why can’t we conquer everything with love and affection? If I fail to come forward in the same way to protect the freedom I dream of, then I sing my song in a broken heart with extreme disappointment, humiliation and shame."

The house, a 140-year-old structure filled with memories and history, was reduced to ashes. The incident has drawn significant attention, especially since French President Emmanuel Macron visited Rahul’s house in September 2023, highlighting its importance.

Image source: The Daily Star