Overview
- The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education notified heads of upper primary and secondary institutions to ensure the song is sung at every morning assembly.
- Education minister Bratya Basu said on X that the song will be rendered as a prayer along with the national anthem and will serve as a catalyst for social and communal unity.
- The Rabindranath Tagore composition was adopted as the state anthem in 2023 following a citizens' convention convened by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and an assembly resolution.
- Authorities have specified that only the opening lines beginning with “Banglar Mati, Banglar Jal, Banglar Bayu, Banglar Phal” constitute the version to be used.
- Coverage situates the directive within efforts to bolster Bengali identity ahead of elections, noting regional sensitivities highlighted by a recent Assam row over a different Tagore song.