The mural of poet Rabindranath Tagore in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia district has been restored after miscreants blotted it with black ink.
In addition to cleaning the mural, the name’s spelling has also been fixed.
An artist worked on the restoration from noon until the afternoon on Friday, according to Vijay Kumar Joardar, assistant commissioner (Land) of the upazila.
Upon receiving the information, a team—including an artist—visited the site that morning and began restoration efforts in the afternoon, Joardar added.
"We visited the site that same night after receiving the information. No written complaint has been filed so far," said Md Solaiman Sheikh, officer-in-charge of Kumarkhali police station.
"The act may have taken place during the Eid holiday. The image and writing have now been restored. A thorough investigation will be conducted, and appropriate action will be taken," said SM Mikail Islam, the upazila nirbahi officer.
The incident came to light on Thursday night after a photo of the defaced mural, covered in black ink, circulated on social media, sparking outrage among Tagore’s followers.
However, the identities of those responsible and the exact time and location of the act have yet to be determined.
The mural is located at the entrance to Kumarkhali in the Zilapitala area, along the Kushtia-Rajbari regional highway.
Local residents expressed concern that the mural had been neglected for some time, with faded paint and non-functional CCTV cameras.
They highlighted the lack of administrative oversight, which they believe contributed to the incident.
Liton Abbas, a local poet and writer, remarked: "Erasing the ink alone isn’t enough. We need to uncover who did this and why. The real culprits must be identified and held accountable."