HC orders authorities to take action against protesters of Bangabandhu sculpture

The High Court (HC) on Tuesday asked the authorities concerned to take actions against the people who are creating anarchy over sculpture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

‘Construction of Bangabandhu’s sculpture does not contradict religion,’ the court observed.

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.

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

Lawyers Shah Monjurul Hoque and Nahid Sultana Juthi argued for the writ petitioner, while Attorney General AM Amin Uddin represented the state.

The court asked why an order would not be issued to punish groups with vested interests, vandals and offenders in an effort to preserve and secure the dignity of Bangabandhu’s statues. It also asked why inactivity by the authorities to take steps would not be deemed to be a breach of the law.

The home secretary, the religious affairs secretary, the liberation war affairs secretary, the chief of police and the director-general of the Islamic Foundation have been asked to respond to the rule.

The home ministry has been instructed to take legal actions, including sedition cases, against the vandals, lawyer Monjurul Hoque told reporters.

Islamists objected to the construction of Bangabandhu’s statue at a rally under the banner of ‘Towhidi Janata Oikya Parishad’ in Dhaka’s Gendaria on Nov 13.

Mamunul Haque, who heads Bangladesh Khelafat Jubo Majlish, and is the joint secretary general of radical Islamic outfit Hifazat-e Islam, opposed the construction of Bangabandhu’s statue at a separate programme at the BMA Auditorium in the capital the same day.

On Nov 27, Junaid Babunagari, head of Hifazat-e Islam, threatened to ‘pull down’ statues no matter which party erects them.

Amid the countrywide protests against the statements of the Islamist leaders, an under-construction statue of the Bangabandhu was vandalised in Kushtia city late Friday.

Supreme Court lawyer Uttam Lahiri filed the writ petition with the High Court on Sunday Later lawyer Sultana presented it in front of the virtual High Court bench of Justice Hassan and Justice Khairul that day.

Later, the conditions of the rule were amended for a supplementary petition. The court issued the order on Tuesday after the initial hearing of the amended appeal.