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KOLKATA: A Kolkata-based sarod player with family roots in Bangladesh and an illustrious legacy in the world of music had to flee the neighbouring country when the venue was vandalised hours before his programme, leaving him shocked and his tabla player still stuck there.Shiraz Ali Khan had a concert scheduled at Chhayanaut in Dhaka on Dec 19. But hours before the scheduled programme, the culture hub was vandalised amid a nationwide spiral of unrest triggered by the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a radical leader who played a key role in last year’s anti-Hasina protests.Shiraz managed to “flee” to Kolkata on Saturday evening, suppressing his Indian identity on the way. His tabla player is still stuck there and hoping to return on Monday.Shiraz’s father is Ustad Dhyanesh Khan, son of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and grandson of Baba Allauddin Khan. Although based in Kolkata, Shiraz’s family has roots across the border. His great-grandfather, Ustad Allauddin Khan, was from Brahmanbaria. “Some years ago, a college in Ustad Allauddin Khan’s name (in Brahmanbaria) was attacked. But the attack on Chhayanaut is an unimaginable assault on our culture and shared values,” Shiraz said. Shiraz arrived in Dhaka on Dec 16, in time for a jazz concert on Dec 17 in Banani. His major classical music recital was scheduled for Dec 19. “Despite the small gathering of 17-18 people, the experience (in Banani) was heartfelt. I didn’t expect that days later, tragedy would hit our musical community. On the morning of Dec 19, I learned about the attack on Chhayanaut. I couldn’t believe the building where I was to perform was destroyed. Seeing the disturbing images was beyond belief, especially as someone who holds music and its sacredness in the highest regard,” Shiraz told TOI. While trying to leave Dhaka, Shiraz was stopped at a checkpoint. “I was asked if I had foreign currency. Fortunately, I didn’t. For the first time, I didn’t mention my Indian identity. Aware of anti-India sentiments, I spoke in the Brahmanbaria dialect. My mother, from Brahmanbaria, settled in India after her marriage in 1968. I learned the dialect from her,” he said.Shiraz’s Khan surname helped. “People thought I was from Bangladesh, not India. I never thought I’d have to hide my Indian identity. I gave my Indian passport and phone to the driver, who kept them in the car’s dashboard. I got them back at the airport. I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t concealed my identity. My mother is still in Bangladesh. My Hindu accompanists are also stranded in Dhaka. I won’t reveal their names for their safety,” he said, adding he “won’t return” to “Bangladesh until artists, music, and cultural institutions are respected and protected”.
