Four Detained After Rabindranath Tagore’s Artwork Is Defaced In Bangladesh’s Capital Dhaka

A graffiti mural depicting Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore has been defaced with black ink outside the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka, prompting police to detain four people, including a woman, for questioning. The incident occurred on Saturday in the Segunbagicha area of the Bangladeshi capital, raising concerns about possible tensions ahead of the Sharadiya Durga Puja festival.

Police are investigating the vandalism, while the identities of the four detainees have not been publicly disclosed by authorities. The mural is located on a wall in front of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, a prominent cultural institution in Dhaka. The graffiti depicting Tagore was reportedly marked with black ink on Saturday, damaging the artwork. The incident prompted police action, with investigators seeking to establish who was responsible and the circumstances surrounding the defacement.

The motive behind the act has not been confirmed in the information available, and authorities have not publicly established whether the incident was politically motivated or connected to religious tensions. Sheikh Zahidul Islam, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna Division, confirmed the detention of four people to the Dhaka Tribune on Saturday evening.

According to the newspaper, Islam said the detainees included a woman and had been taken to the Detective Branch (DB) of police for questioning. He added that their names and identities could not be disclosed at that stage because of the ongoing investigation. The questioning is intended to help investigators establish the circumstances of the incident and determine whether the detainees were involved in the defacement.

The case has involved more than one police unit. Earlier on Saturday, Shahbagh police detained ANM Ayas, member secretary of the Rashtra Sanglap Forum, in connection with the incident. Two other people, including a woman, were also detained over the same matter, according to the report. The subsequent confirmation of four detainees by the Ramna Division deputy commissioner indicates that investigators are pursuing multiple leads.

However, the available information does not clarify the individual roles attributed to those detained, whether all four remain in custody or whether any formal charges have been filed. The timing of the vandalism has added to concerns surrounding public order in Dhaka ahead of Sharadiya Durga Puja, a major Hindu festival celebrated by communities in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the region. The festival involves religious observances, cultural programmes and public gatherings, making security and communal harmony important considerations for local authorities.

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The defacement of a prominent cultural mural shortly before the celebrations has prompted questions about the possibility of unrest. However, no direct link between the incident and any planned disturbance has been established in the information provided. Rabindranath Tagore remains one of the most influential figures in Bengali literature and culture.

The poet, playwright and composer became the first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1913, for his collection Gitanjali. His literary and musical works hold a significant place in the cultural heritage of both Bangladesh and India. Tagore wrote the national anthems of Bangladesh and India, making his legacy an important cultural connection across the border. The defacement of a mural depicting him has therefore drawn attention beyond the immediate damage to public artwork, although the motive behind the act remains under investigation.

The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy is a national institution dedicated to promoting and developing the country's arts and cultural activities. Public artworks in such settings can serve as expressions of shared heritage and provide accessible points of engagement with literature, history and national identity. The incident has raised questions about the protection of cultural installations in public spaces, particularly at a time when authorities are preparing for major religious celebrations.

Investigators will need to establish whether the mural was deliberately targeted and whether the act was intended to convey a particular message. For now, police have detained four people for questioning, and the Detective Branch is handling the investigation. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the detainees’ identities or announced a confirmed motive for the vandalism.

Further information is expected to clarify the circumstances of the defacement, the evidence gathered by investigators and whether formal legal action will follow. Until those details emerge, the incident remains under investigation, and the possibility of a wider political or communal motive should not be treated as established fact.

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