লালনের মাজারে স্থাপনা নির্মাণ-বিরোধী প্রতিবাদী আন্দোলন: বাউল-ফকির ও স্থানীয় জনতার সঙ্গে একজন ভিন্নদেশী নৃতাত্ত্বিকের একাত্মতার বয়ান | Movement to Protest the Infrastructure Building at the Mausoleum of Lalan: A story of the solidarity of an anthropologist

Abstract

This essay offers an analytic perspective on the collaboration between a researcher and local communities on the protest against the the Infrastructure Building at the shrine of Bangladeshi Fakir Lalan Shah (1774-1890). Lalan Shah's shrine is located in Kustia district in the western part of Bangladesh. Lalan Shah, the devout poet, is known as the emperor of the Bauls. Baul song is a certain type of spiritual, mystic form of songs sung by bards in Bengal. In the nineteenth century, Lalan Shah became famous as a poet and emperor of the Bauls in Bengal. Many of his disciples learned songs from him and his followers still continue practicing his songs regularly at his shrine. His disciples not only sing his songs but also practice the same spiritual austerities and esoteric rites that Lalan used to do. This essay concentrates on a series of events ensued on the issue of the Lalan Shah's shrine. The events began to flow on from 1997 when Bangladesh prime minister approved 36,430.000 taka (approximately $500,000) project for conservation and renovation of the shrine. A four-story building, auditorium and other amenities were included in the project in excuse of attracting the tourists. Many Bangladeshi intellectuals opposed the project. As a foreign anthropologist, this essayist visited the spot and expressed solidarity with the protesters. This essay explains the so called anti-development movement and evaluates experiences of attachment with the post-colonial local communities during field survey.