Dhaka: We all must have heard of internet sensation and self proclaimed Bangladeshi singer Hero Alom, who is known for his tuneless songs and unbearable music videos.
It seems like the listeners will finally get rid of his dreadful singing after the police hauled him at dawn and told him to cease his painful renditions of classical songs, triggering an uproar on social media.
What is more shocking is the fact that Hero Alom has amassed nearly two million Facebook followers and almost 1.5 million on YouTube despite his unique crooning style and raunchy videos.
One of his songs going by the name of "Arabian Song", in which he appears in traditional Arab clothing on a sand dune with camels superimposed in the background, has garnered 17 million views.
But, his remake of classic songs of two beloved national treasures -- Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and Bangladesh's national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, has drawn widespread criticism against him.
Alom, while talking to the media, alleged that the cops had "mentally tortured" him last week and told him to stop performing classical songs.
He also accused the police of insulting him by saying that he was too ugly to be a singer and he was told to sign an "apology" bond.
"The police picked me up at 6 am and kept me there for eight hours. They asked me why I sing Rabindra and Nazrul songs," he said.
Dhaka's chief detective Harun ur Rashid told the media that Alom had apologised for singing the cherished songs and for wearing police uniforms without permission in his videos.
"We received many complaints against him," Harun said.
"(He) totally changed the (traditional) style (of singing)... He assured us that he won't repeat this," Harun added.
Farook Hossain, the deputy police commissioner of Dhaka, dismissed claims made by 37 year old Alom that he had also been pressed to change his name.
"He is making these comments just to go viral on social media," the top cop told the media.
Following his ordeal, Alam released a new video depicting himself behind bars in a prison outfit, warbling mournfully that he is about to be hanged.
Meanwhile, Alom's treatment sparked a furore on social media, with commentators and activists calling it an attack on individual rights -- even if his singing is annoying.
"I am not a fan of your songs or your acting. But if there is an attempt to muzzle your voice, I stand up against it," journalist Aditya Arafat posted.
"Don't be broken. You are a hero. No matter what others say, you are a real hero," Sanjida Khatun Rakhi wrote on Alom's Facebook page.
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