Against the backdrop of hartal, miscreants wipe out the memory of a music maestro in Brahmanbaria

Miscreants today set fire to Music maestro Ustad Alauddin Khan's music academy "Sur Samrat Alauddin Sangeetangon" in Brahmanbaria's Kumarshil area.

The music school was built to preserve the memory of the legendary classical musician.

It was alleged that the arsonists were supporters of Hefajat-e-Islam.

Photo: Mashuk Hridoy

They vandalised and set fire to the museum of the maestro, three classrooms, the Sarood Mancha and the administrative room. They also burned musical instruments kept in the storeroom, along with chairs and tables and other furniture of the institution, reports our Brahmanbaria correspondent quoting Manzurul Alam, general secretary of the music academy.

Manzurul said earlier in 2016, madrasa students had carried out an attack on the academy and set fire to it but this time hartal supporters had completely destroyed everything.

Photo: Mashuk Hridoy

"There is nothing left in the memory of the melody king," he added.

"A museum was set up at the entrance of the academy. It was filled with rare memorabilia. In 2016, all the materials, including the musical instruments used by the Ustad, were burnt in the attack. But what we collected later, were burnt into ashes this time," he said.

Security Guard Prabindra said there were many souvenirs, pictures, harmoniums and musical instruments in the administrative and store rooms.

Photo: Mashuk Hridoy

"Everything was burnt; nothing is left," he added.

No one came forward to douse the fire fearing consequences due to the hartal.

Sur Samrat Alauddin Sangeetangon was established in 1956 in the name of Ustad Alauddin Khan.