A fire broke out at the Faculty of Fine Arts (Charukola) at Dhaka University early Saturday (April 12), destroying a symbolic motif titled “Face of Fascism” that was being prepared for the upcoming Bengali New Year procession. Another installation, the “Dove of Peace”, was partially damaged.
Faculty members and students suspect the incident was an act of sabotage.
According to witnesses, the fire started around 5am. It is believed that the on-duty security personnel were away for morning prayers at the time of the incident.
Professor Saifuddin Ahmed, the DU proctor, stated: It’s very likely that someone set the fire intentionally during that time.
Dean of the Faculty, Professor Azharul Islam, confirmed that both motifs were damaged—one completely and the other partially.
Amid ongoing controversies, the procession previously known as Mangal Shobhajatra has been renamed Ananda Shobhajatra this year. The procession will feature over a hundred artworks in various sizes.
Among the six large installations, the one that was entirely destroyed by the fire depicted a horned female face with bared teeth—symbolising the nature of fascism. It had been constructed using bamboo and paper.
Speaking earlier, DU Vice Chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan remarked, “If anyone finds a resemblance to someone in the fascist figure, that’s purely their personal interpretation. As always, we stand firmly against fascism.”
Many people say that the “Face of Fascism” motif had been a resemblance to Sheikh Hasina, who flew to India following a mass upsurge on 5 August last year.