A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking comprehensive preventative directives to safeguard lawful and peaceful cultural activities across Bangladesh, including concerts, musical performances, folk songs, Baul music, theatrical staging, film screenings, traditional boat racing, and Pahela Baishakh celebrations.
The petition, filed by Supreme Court lawyer Saddam Hossain (Abhi), specifically requests court orders to ensure the safety and security of artists, cultural workers, organizers, and audiences against unauthorized interference, intimidation, threats, violence, vandalism, and coercion by unauthorized groups or factions. Speaking to the press on Wednesday (October 15), the petitioner confirmed that the matter will be presented for hearing before the regular bench of the High Court when judicial proceedings resume after the ongoing court vacation on October 25.
Prior to filing the petition, lawyer Saddam Hossain dispatched a formal legal notice on September 9 addressed to three government secretaries and the Inspector General of Police, urging the authorities to establish necessary protective measures to prevent disruptions and threats targeting cultural events.
The legal action stems from a series of recent incidents across the country where cultural programs faced obstruction, objections, and forced cancellations. According to media reports cited in the proceedings, a concert in Kishoreganj scheduled for August 2026 was administratively cancelled following objections from a local faction, while simultaneous demands were raised to halt the traditional boat racing event on the Sunai River in Beanibazar, Sylhet. Furthermore, a concert featuring artist Anupam Roy in Dhaka was abruptly postponed at the last moment.
The petitioner moved the High Court after receiving no substantive response from the relevant government authorities regarding the legal notice issued earlier last month, underscoring the urgent necessity for judicial intervention to uphold cultural freedom and public security nationwide.
