Kushtia Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abu Hasnat Mohammad Arifin has formally requested the return of Baul Saint Fakir Lalon Shah’s original manuscript containing 314 songs, currently preserved at Shantiniketan in West Bengal, India.
In a written application sent to the Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs on Monday (September 22), the DC stated that the manuscript was taken from Lalon’s ashram at Chheuriya by Rabindranath Tagore, then zamindar of Shilaidah, nearly 135 years ago. The rare collection remains housed at Shantiniketan, while only a copy was once shared with Bangladesh.
“Every year, millions of Lalon followers, devotees, and researchers from home and abroad gather at Chheuriya during the Lalon Memorial Festival. On their behalf, and for the sake of research, we want to bring back the original manuscript of Lalon’s songs to Kushtia,” the DC said during a preparatory meeting for the 135th death anniversary of Lalon Shah.
The DC emphasized that the government’s recent recognition of October 17, Lalon’s death anniversary, as a Category A national day has further increased the significance of preserving his authentic legacy in Bangladesh.
Lalon’s compositions were originally preserved by his disciples, including Bholai Shah, who wrote down over 500 songs across two notebooks. One of these was later taken by Rabindranath Tagore to Shantiniketan. The surviving manuscript contains 314 songs — regarded as invaluable for the study of Baul tradition and Lalon philosophy.
For decades, devotees, followers, and scholars have demanded the manuscript’s repatriation to Kushtia. While copies have been provided, the original notebook has not yet been returned. This has caused widespread frustration among Lalon’s admirers, who believe the historic manuscript belongs in the Lalon Academy at Chheuriya, Kushtia, where the saint lived and worked.
The DC concluded: “We are making all-out efforts to bring back these manuscripts from Kolkata as soon as possible.”
