A half-century-old music education institution has been attacked and vandalized in the ProbartakSangha hills of Chattogram city. During this time, various instruments of musical education were vandalised and destroyed. Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) is strongly condemned and protests the incident. At the same time, they are demanding action against those who incited the children and teenagers to carry out the attack.

According to media reports, the attack and vandalism took place on 17 July 2020 at 11 am in the hills adjacent to the Sugandha residential area of ​​the city’s Panchlaish thana. The vandalism was carried out by a group of resident school students who were incited by Probartak Sangha due to a dispute between the committee of the Probartak Sangha orphanage and the tenant organization‘Sangeet Bhaban’. However, the Probartak Sangha Committee denied the allegation and said it to be the stubborn attitude of those involved with the management of Sangeet Bhaban. It is to be noted, renowned music guru Priyadaranjan Sengupta established ‘Sangeet Bhaban’ in 1966 to promote music education in Chattogram. He rented land from the Probartak Sangha and built a permanent music school and a residential one-story building in 1968. After his death, his son Deepak Sengupta continued the activities. After Deepak Sen’s death, his sister Kaberi Senguptahas been living there and playing the role of principal of the Sangeet Bhaban. It has been learned that Sangeet Bhaban has been in a long-standing dispute with the management committee of the Probartak Sangha regarding the rent. The one-storey building has also become worn-out due to lack of renovation. Recently, the building authorities took the initiative to renovate it. Conflict eruptsagain centering on the renovation. At one stage, 20-30 children and teenagers of the ProbartakSangha came and vandalised the building.

Both Probartak Sangha and Sangeet Bhaban are linked with the history and heritage of the country. It is extremely unfortunate that the conflict between Probartak Sangha and SangeetBhaban centered on the Bhaban has taken such an undesirable shape. The use of children and adolescents in this attack has been intentional, which is highly condemnable. ASK demands legal action against the instigators of this attack.