Rabindranath Tagore's mural in Kushtia smeared, vandalised

Miscreants have defaced a mural of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Kumarkhali, Kushtia, smearing ink on the poet’s face and distorting the spelling of his name.

The mural, located in the Jilapitala area at the entrance to Kumarkhali on the Kushtia-Rajbari regional highway, has been neglected for a long time. Overgrown weeds and a faded mural, along with a non-functional CCTV camera, indicate a lack of maintenance and security.

The incident came to light after a photo of the vandalized mural went viral on social media on Thursday night, sparking outrage among locals and civil society.

Local officials, including Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Bijoy Kumar Joardar, visited the site and assured that the mural would be restored and the culprits brought to justice.

Md Solaiman Sheikh, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kumarkhali Police Station, said, "Legal action would be taken once a written complaint is filed."

Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) SM Mikail Islam said the act may have occurred during the Eid holidays and that an investigation is underway.