75-Year-Old Faila Paglar Fair Shut Down by Joint Forces Over ‘Un-Islamic’ Allegations

Tangail Correspondent

Joint forces, comprising the upazila administration, military, and police, have shut down the 75-year-old Faila Paglar Fair in Sakhipur Upazila, branding it “un-Islamic.”

The fair, which began in 1949, took place in Dariapur village during the month of Rajab on the Islamic calendar. It attracted devotees and visitors from across the country, transcending religious boundaries. The event featured three days of orash (spiritual gathering), baul songs, and folk music, culminating in a grand celebration on the full moon night.

Devotees would offer sacrifices such as chickens, goats, and cattle to fulfill their vows, turning the fair into a symbol of communal harmony. The fair also served as a major hub for local businesses, with vendors selling handcrafted goods and other items.

Opponents, particularly anti-mazar (shrine) groups, claimed that activities such as marijuana use, immoral behavior, and public gatherings at the fair violated Islamic principles. Based on these allegations, joint forces conducted an operation on Sunday afternoon, January 12, and declared the fair closed.

Hailing from Sylhet, Habibur Rahman dismissed the allegations as baseless, accusing extremist groups of conspiring to disrupt Sufi and spiritual practices. “Those who oppose music as a means of remembering the Creator are behind this,” he said.

Narayanpur devotee Binoy Krishna Das expressed his grief, citing past attacks on shrines across the country. “Shrines are being attacked, graves of saints desecrated, and now this fair is shut down. This is destroying our cultural harmony,” he lamented.

The president of the fair committee, Kabir Hasan, alleged that a faction had been plotting to disrupt the event. “We removed the wandering devotees near the shrine, yet the fair was still closed. This has caused significant losses to traders who had prepared for months,” he said.

Businesspeople who traveled from various parts of the country protested the sudden closure. They were initially given 15 minutes to vacate the area but later granted two hours. Many expressed anger at the short notice, which left them scrambling to save their goods.

One visitor, Abdullah Mohsin, a college lecturer from Dhaka, criticized the decision. “Closing fairs, shrines, and cultural activities is a deliberate move. This is turning a harmonious country into a reflection of Afghanistan or Pakistan,” he said.

Sakhipur UNO Abdullah Al Roni stated, “There were complaints against the fair, which led to its closure.” The operation was conducted under the supervision of UNO Abdullah Al Roni, Captain ATM Fazle Rabbi Prince, and Sakhipur Police Station OC Zakir Hossain.