Whether there was 'ulterior motive' in performing music at the puja mandap is being probed: Police

The police said that they are investigating whether there was any ulterior motive in the incident of performing Islamic music on the stage of a pujamandap in Chittagong city.

The police gave this information in a press conference organized at Dampara police line in the city at around 12 noon today.

It was said in the press conference that two people have been arrested in this incident. They are being interrogated. The two arrested are Shahidul Karim, teacher of Tanzimul Ummah Madrasa and Nurul Islam, teacher of Darul Irfan Academy. These two were arrested from separate places in the city last Thursday night.

The incident of music performance took place yesterday around seven in the evening, on the Durga Puja ceremony stage at JM Sen Hall in Rahmatganj of the city.

In today's press conference, Deputy Commissioner of City Police (Crime and Operations) Raich Uddin said, six artistes of Chittagong Cultural Academy sang songs on the stage of the mandap on the invitation of Sajal Dutt, Joint General Secretary of Puja Celebration Committee. Some of the lyrics of that song hurt the religious sensibilities of the people present. In this incident, two people were arrested in a raid last night. The rest will be arrested. The detained two are being interrogated. Police are investigating whether there was any malicious motive behind the incident. A case is pending in this incident.

This morning, Additional Deputy Commissioner of City Police (Media) Kazi Tarek Aziz said that a case has been registered in this incident. Two have been arrested. Detailed information about the arrested two accused in the case will be given in the press conference. But it was said in the press conference that the process of the case is going on. Two others have been arrested. Deputy Commissioner of City Police (Crime and Operations) Raich Uddin said that there has been a 'gap' between them.

Raich Uddin said in response to the question of the journalists whether the detained two have any political connection or not, this will also be investigated. Apart from this, Sajal Dutt, joint general secretary of Puja Udyapan Committee, is being sought to know why artists of Chittagong Cultural Academy were invited. But he is not available.

Last night, Mahanagar Puja Udyapan Parishad President Ashish Bhattacharya took the stage and expressed his grief over the incident. He apologized and expelled Sajal Dutt.

Some eyewitnesses said that six members of the cultural organization Chittagong Cultural Academy performed two songs on the Durga Puja stage. One of these songs was 'Shudhu Musalmaner Lagi Aseniko Islam'. The organization is Jamaat-e-Islami-backed, a source said.

When the video of this incident spread on social media, there was widespread criticism. Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanam went to the Puja Mandap yesterday night due to the situation. He assured to arrest the people involved in the incident within 48 hours.

In a nearly three-minute long video that has gone viral on social media, six youngsters can be seen performing on stage. Some bystanders are seen recording it on their mobile phones.

When asked about this, Chittagong Cultural Academy president Salim Zaman told Prothom Alo that they went to perform music there on the invitation of Puja Udyapan Parishad Joint Secretary Sajal Dutt. There are two songs performed, both are harmony music. Some are spreading misinformation by editing videos.

However, after verifying the video of the event that was spread on Facebook, the fact checking organization Rumor Scanner said on their Facebook page that the video of the song is original and not edited.

When asked about Chittagong Cultural Academy, Chittagong Nagar (North) Chhatrashibir president Fakhrul Islam said, it is not an organization of Chhatrashibir.

However, a Jamaat-e-Islami leader confirmed to Prothom Alo that Chittagong Cultural Academy is a Jamaat-e-Islami-supported cultural organization.

Sources of Puja Udyapan Parishad say that there was a dance program on the stage yesterday evening. At that time, some young people came and got on the stage to perform patriotic songs. They performed two songs. Later they said 'thank you' and left. No one pushed them down or protested while they were singing.

When asked to know, Finance Secretary of Chittagong Mahanagar Puja Udyapan Parishad Sukant Mahajan said that the young people came and told Sajal Dutt, Joint Secretary of the Parishad, that they will perform patriotic songs on stage. Later they got up and started singing. After singing they left. Sajal Dutt was tried to contact him several times on the phone last night to find out about this, but his phone was switched off.

Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanam went to the scene yesterday at around 10:30 pm after the video of Islamic music performance in the pujamandap went viral. At that time, he said, whoever is involved in this incident, they will be arrested within 24 to 48 hours.