Writ filed seeking protection for artists, cultural events

A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking preventive measures to protect lawful cultural activities and ensure the safety of artists, cultural workers, organisers and audiences from unlawful obstruction, intimidation, threats, violence, vandalism and coercion by unauthorised individuals or groups.

On September 9, writ petitioner and lawyer Saddam Hossain Abhi sent a legal notice to the relevant authorities protesting the obstruction, threats and forcible cancellation of cultural events in different parts of the country.

Saddam informed the media of the development on Wednesday. 

The notice was sent to the senior secretary of the Home Ministry, the inspector general of police (IGP), the secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, and the secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The petition seeks protection for all traditional and lawful cultural activities, including concerts, musical programmes, folk music, Baul songs, theatre, film screenings, boat races, Pohela Boishakh celebrations and other peaceful cultural festivals.

It stated that the cancellation and disruption of independent cultural events due to unlawful obstruction and threats had increased alarmingly in recent times.

Among the incidents cited were the cancellation of a concert in Kishoreganj in August 2024 following objections from a local group, attempts to stop a traditional boat race on the Sonai River in Beanibazar, Sylhet, and the last-minute postponement of a concert by artist Anupam Roy in Dhaka.

They argue that the state or the administration cannot cancel or shut down an event solely because an individual or private group objects to it.

The petition also states that when security risks arise, the police have a legal duty to ensure adequate security and traffic management rather than cancel cultural events.