Thousands protest against Bangabandhu sculpture demolition

Thousands of people from different walks of life have demonstrated across the country against the demolition of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman sculpture.

The protesters demanded an immediate arrest of the perpetrators who instigated the Kushtia Madrasah students and teachers through their speeches.

A group of Jahangirnagar University (JU) teachers demonstrated on the university campus Tuesday morning protesting the vandalism of an under-construction sculpture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Kushtia.

Speakers at the programme urged the government to mete out an exemplary punishment to the philistines as soon as possible for damaging the sculpture.

They also demanded an installation of a world-class sculpture of Bangabandhu on the university campus within the shortest possible time.

Besides, Bangladesh Chhatra League Chattogram University chapter staged protests on the campus.

Gopalganj Journalist Association's Dhaka committee has also held rally in the capital's National Press Club area.  

The journalists' association vowed that they, along with other journalists, will hold a procession at the site of under-construction sculpture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Kushtia. 

Political, social and cultural organisations also staged protest in the capital and across the country demanding an immediate arrest of the vandals.

Meanwhile, responding to a writ, a High Court bench has directed the authorities concerned to punish those who opposed the building of statues and defaced the Bangabandhu sculpture.

The court also ordered the director general of Islamic Foundation and the khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque to take measures to create public awareness about the importance of sculptures, murals and portraits and help remove any confusion about them.

The virtual bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam issued the order on Tuesday after an initial hearing on a writ that called for steps to preserve the statues, murals and portraits of the Father of the Nation.

Besides, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said a vested quarter is trying to destabilise the country using the issue of Bangabandhu sculpture and they will be resisted.

"No communal force will be allowed to rise in the country," he told reporters at the secretariat.

He said there had been conspiracies against Bangabandhu and his family in the past and they are still going on.

"It is being investigated whether there is any foreign or local political conspiracy in the issue of sculpture," said Obaidul Quader, also road transport and bridges minister.

He also urged people to get united to tackle the misdeed.

The ruling party general secretary also asked the authorities concerned to refrain from constructing the sculpture or mural of Bangabandhu without permission from Bangabandhu Trust for avoiding vandalism.

Meanwhile, a Kushtia court on Tuesday placed two madrasa students on a five-day remand and two teachers on a four-day remand in a case filed over damaging the under-construction sculpture of Bangabandhu in Kushtia.

Kushtia Superintendent of Police SM Tanvir Arafat on Sunday said the students – Abu Bakar and Sabuj Islam Nahid – are directly involved in the vandalism.

Both students are aged 14 while Alamin and Yusuf are the two teachers of a Madrasah in Kushtia's Jugia area.

Vandals defaced the sculpture of Bangabandhu in Panch Rastar Morh area in Kushtia on 4 December.