Artists at Risk Connection (ARC), a New York-based group dedicated to assisting imperiled artistes on Thursday called for the immediate release of Bangladeshi musician and rapper, Hannan Hossain Shimul (Hannan), who was arrested on July 25, 2024 in Narayanganj's Bhuighor area, Bangladesh.
According to its website, New York-based ARC safeguards the right to artistic freedom of expression and ensures that artists and cultural professionals everywhere can live and work without fear.
Though the charges against Hannan have not been publicly disclosed, there is widespread speculation that his arrest is in connection with his alleged involvement in the recent wave of protests that have swept across the country.
Hannan’s song, “Awaaz Utha'' which loosely translates to “raise your voice Bangladesh,” has become a virtual anthem for the protest movement over the last few weeks. Written and performed by Hannan, and produced by his collaborator SnareByt, the song has garnered more than 350,000 views on YouTube.
“Hannan’s arbitrary arrest is the most recent in a series of brutal and systematic attacks on free expression in Bangladesh,” said Adam Shapiro, Senior Manager of International Programs at ARC.
“The lack of transparency surrounding his arrest further compounds the utter disregard to due process and basic human rights that has been on display by the Bangladeshi authorities. ARC calls for the immediate release of Hannan, and stands in solidarity with the people of Bangladesh as they confront brutal repression by the Bangladeshi security forces.”
According to his musical collaborator, SnareByt, Hannan was arrested by police as he was returning to his home from prayer. Though the police did confirm the arrest to local media, they did not release the First Instance Report (FIR) to Hannan’s family, thus obscuring any information regarding charges and alleged evidence.
In July, Bangladeshi protestors organised nation-wide protests that spread throughout the country in response to police brutalities against students who were peacefully protesting the quota allocation for government jobs. On July 16, 2024, 25-year-old student protester and coordinator, Abu Sayed was shot dead by police in an unprovoked attack. Between July 18 and July 23, Bangladeshi authorities implemented an internet shutdown which adversely affected the safety, mobility and wellbeing of the people. Despite the government calling for a curfew last week, protesters persisted and police continued their violent crackdown, resulting in at least 200 deaths, according to credible media sources in the country.
ARC is dedicated to assisting imperiled artists and fortifying the field of organisations that support them. Between 2021 and 2022, ARC released “Connecting the Dots: Artist Protection and Artistic Freedom in Asia”, a publication on the state of artistic freedom in Asia, as well as a limited series podcast, “Creating Artistic Resilience: Voices of Asia”, featuring interviews with artist-activists from Asia, including an episode with Sofia Karim, activist and visual artist from Bangladesh and the UK.
