Students of Jagannath Hall at Dhaka University have accused the university administration of removing caricatures of war criminals painted on the pavement as part of an event marking Martyred Intellectuals Day.
The event, titled “Tuli’r Achore Droho” (Defiance Through Brushstrokes), was organised by the Jagannath Hall Union on the previous night to honor intellectuals killed during the 1971 Liberation War.
As part of the program, students painted caricatures of Matiur Rahman Nizami, Golam Azam, and Abdul Quader Mollah on the pavement in front of Rabindra Bhaban at Jagannath Hall.
However, students and event organizers claim that the paintings were removed the following morning, allegedly under instructions from the university administration.
Jagannath Hall Vice-President Pallab Barman, expressed his frustration, saying, “Our program was supposed to start at 11 a.m., but the university administration removed the images without prior discussion with the Hall Union. We strongly condemn and protest this act.”
In response, Kathak Biswas Joy, literature secretary of the Jagannath Hall Union, told TIMES of Bangladesh, “A letter of protest will be submitted to the administration. Additionally, to counter the justification of collaborators using ‘beard and cap,’ a picture of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani will be displayed.”
Jagannath Hall Provost Prof Debashis Pal, clarified to TIMES that images were removed following instructions from senior university officials. The law and order department carried out the action.
Attempts to contact Dhaka University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed for further clarification were unsuccessful.
