Over 500 looted books returned to Abhayaranya Library

More than 500 books, allegedly seized by a group of youths from the Abhayaranya Library in Tangail's Dhanbari upazila, were returned last night.

After the books were seized, the library was declared closed temporarily. But the library reopened today as the upazila administration resolved the matter.

Recently, Golam Rabbani, a leader of the Bangladesh Islami Khilafat Majlish, referred to the library as a "factory of atheists" in a Facebook post and called for dismantling it.

Following his post, a group of youth entered the library on Thursday (April 24) evening, forced the readers out, and took away over 500 books, including those written by Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, and Humayun Ahmed.

After the incident, the library authorities lodged two written complaints with the upazila administration and Dhanbari Police Station on Friday and Saturday.

Dhanbari Police Station Officer-in-charge (OC) SM Shahidullah said that following the complaint, a meeting chaired by Dhanbari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shahin Mahmud was held at the upazila council office yesterday afternoon.

The meeting was held with the leaders from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Khilafat Majlish, library officials, and local journalists, the OC added. "The matter was settled peacefully." he said.

Later around 9:00pm, the UNO returned the 500 books to the library authorities, in the presence of the political leaders, library officials, and journalists, the OC said.

According to the administration officials, the books had been handed over to them after the meeting and no banned or atheist books were found.

Confirming the matter, UNO Shahin Mahmud said both sides had reached an understanding, and the books had been returned.

Sanjay Chandra Ghosh, secretary of Abhayaranya Library, said, "Libraries are places of knowledge and ideas. All kinds of books should be available here."