A Dhaka court has ordered the remand of four individuals in connection with an alleged attempt to deface a mural of Rabindranath Tagore located outside the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the Segunbagicha area of the city. The incident took place on October 10, prompting legal proceedings against the accused.

The four detainees—ANM Ayas, 29, who serves as the member secretary of the State Dialogue Forum; Md Sakibul Hasan, 19; Md Sujon Mia, 18; and Marzia Khandaker Rimi, 27—were produced before Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam on October 11. Following the hearing, the court placed Ayas and Hasan on three days’ remand, while Sujon Mia and Rimi were remanded for two days each.

The accused face charges including criminal conspiracy, inciting hostility among different groups, and hurting religious sentiments. The case was initially filed by Sub-Inspector Ziaul Haque of Shahbagh Police Station, who cited the alleged attempt to damage Tagore’s portrait.

According to police reports, the group led by Ayas tried to smear ink on the mural, which is one of several newly painted portraits representing prominent cultural and literary figures on a wall adjacent to a footpath recently cleared by Dhaka South City Corporation. The mural features notable personalities such as Tagore, National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, artist Zainul Abedin, filmmaker Satyajit Ray, and educator Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

Eyewitness accounts and police statements indicate that the group approached the portrait with the intent to stain it with ink but were stopped by law enforcement officers. During the intervention, the accused reportedly chanted slogans protesting against what they described as "Indian aggression." A woman in the group was caught in the act of attempting to smear the portrait before being halted.

Prosecution officials, including Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruqui, argued in favor of the remands. Meanwhile, defense counsel Monir Hossain Sumon requested the cancellation of the remand and bail for the accused.

The incident adds to ongoing tensions related to cultural and political expressions in Dhaka, highlighting sensitivities surrounding cross-border relations in the region. The case remains under investigation, with authorities seeking to determine the full circumstances surrounding the attempted defacement.