Hiding Indian identity, sarod player flees Bangladesh after cultural venue vandalised
Kolkata sarod maestro Shiraz Ali Khan's Dhaka classical recital was disrupted by venue vandalism amid Bangladesh's political unrest. Forced to flee, he concealed his Indian identity fearing targeting. His tabla remains stranded, highlighting the volatile situation for artists. Khan, deeply rooted in Bangladesh, described the experience as deeply disturbing.
New Delhi: Shiraz Ali Khan, a Kolkata-based sarod player, had to leave Bangladesh abruptly after a planned classical recital in Dhaka was disrupted when a prominent cultural venue was vandalised just hours ahead of his performance. The maestro was left stunned while his accompanying tabla player remained stranded there.
A Times of India report said the musician was to perform at Chhayanaut on December 19. However, just hours before the scheduled performance, the cultural venue was vandalised by protesters amid a nationwide wave of unrest following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi. Hadi was a youth leader who had been a prominent figure in last year’s anti-Hasina protests.
'Deeply disturbing'
Shiraz received images of the vandalised building early that morning. He reportedly said: "I couldn’t believe the building where I was meant to perform had been destroyed. Seeing the images was deeply disturbing.” The incident rattled him and he couldn't continue his stay in the restive country.
On December 16, Shiraz had arrived in Dhaka and performed at a jazz concert in Banani the following day. He recalled the evening as quiet yet emotionally intense, with fewer than 20 attending it. However, his classical concert never took place, and as tensions mounted, he decided to leave the country.
His journey back to India was full of anxiety. Shiraz reached Kolkata on Saturday evening, but his tabla accompanist is still stranded in Dhaka. Other artistes who had travelled with him to Dhaka are also stuck.
'I spoke in Brahmanbaria dialect'
While trying to flee Dhaka, Shiraz was stopped at a checkpoint. The report said, scared that he could be targeted, Shiraz concealed his nationality. He said: "I was asked if I had foreign currency. Fortunately, I didn't. For the first time, I didn't mention my Indian identity. Aware of anti-India sentiments, I spoke in the Brahmanbaria dialect. My mother, from Brahmanbaria, settled in India after her marriage in 1968. I learned the dialect from her." Shiraz's surname helped. "People thought I was from Bangladesh, not India."
His Indian passport and phone were concealed by the driver in the car's dashboard. He got them back at the airport. "I never imagined I would have to hide who I am. I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't concealed my identity," he added.
Shiraz said that his mother is still in Bangladesh, along with several Hindu accompanists whose identities he has withheld for their safety.
Though Shiraz is based in Kolkata, he has deep roots in Bangladesh. He is the son of Ustad Dhyanesh Khan, the grandson of sarod maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and the great-grandson of Baba Allauddin Khan from Brahmanbaria.