Bangladesh Defense
Saif
Senior Member
- Messages
- 17,612
- Likes
- 8,463
- Nation
- Residence
- Axis Group
DU apologises for erasing Hasina's smeared graffiti
Students demand resignation of VC, proctor
DU apologises for erasing Hasina's smeared graffiti
Students demand resignation of VC, proctor
A graffiti of Sheikh Hasina was removed from a metro rail pillar near Dhaka University's Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) early today.
The graffiti symbolised public outrage over lives lost during anti-Hasina protests.
In the wake of widespread outrage among students and the public over its erasure, Dhaka University authorities have issued an apology and announced that they will officially declare the pillar and graffiti as "Monument of Hate" following its restoration.
Students are now demanding the resignation of DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan and Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed, accusing them of complicity in an attempt to erase the graffiti.
The image, located on a metro rail pillar behind the Raju Memorial Sculpture, had become a symbol of public discontent with Sheikh Hasina's administration.
The artwork became a part of the July uprising and was seen as an emblem of resistance against fascism.
The controversy erupted early today when workers, aided by a crane, began repainting the pillar.
A DU press release later expressed regret over the incident, saying, "On the night of December 29, 2024, an attempt was made to erase graffiti on two metro rail pillars at DU, depicting Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina in a hateful manner."
The university acknowledged that the erasure was an error by its proctorial team, apologising for the incident and pledging vigilance to prevent similar mistakes.
Despite the apology, students rejected the administration's response, staging protests since early morning and demanding the restoration of the graffiti in its original form.
A caricature of Sheikh Hasina, drawn by students later that night in the presence of the proctorial team, was also dismissed by the majority of students.
Various student organisations, including the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Jatiya Nagarik Committee, Bangladesh Chhatra Union, and Biplabi Chhatra Moitree joined the protests.
WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED?
Students present during the incident said workers began repainting the graffiti at 3:00am, partially covering Hasina's image and repainting a nearby mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Confronted by students, the workers claimed they were hired by the metro rail authority with DU's permission.
Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed, who arrived at the scene, initially said the directive came from an intelligence official. He later apologised, saying the remark was made under pressure.
The repainting has sparked strong reactions on social media, with student leader Umama Fatema calling the administration's actions "nonsense" and "silly."
Plans are now underway to restore the graffiti and preserve it as a monument to the public's resistance against authoritarianism, said authorities and students.
Students demand resignation of VC, proctor
A graffiti of Sheikh Hasina was removed from a metro rail pillar near Dhaka University's Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) early today.
The graffiti symbolised public outrage over lives lost during anti-Hasina protests.
In the wake of widespread outrage among students and the public over its erasure, Dhaka University authorities have issued an apology and announced that they will officially declare the pillar and graffiti as "Monument of Hate" following its restoration.
Students are now demanding the resignation of DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan and Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed, accusing them of complicity in an attempt to erase the graffiti.
The image, located on a metro rail pillar behind the Raju Memorial Sculpture, had become a symbol of public discontent with Sheikh Hasina's administration.
The artwork became a part of the July uprising and was seen as an emblem of resistance against fascism.
The controversy erupted early today when workers, aided by a crane, began repainting the pillar.
A DU press release later expressed regret over the incident, saying, "On the night of December 29, 2024, an attempt was made to erase graffiti on two metro rail pillars at DU, depicting Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina in a hateful manner."
The university acknowledged that the erasure was an error by its proctorial team, apologising for the incident and pledging vigilance to prevent similar mistakes.
Despite the apology, students rejected the administration's response, staging protests since early morning and demanding the restoration of the graffiti in its original form.
A caricature of Sheikh Hasina, drawn by students later that night in the presence of the proctorial team, was also dismissed by the majority of students.
Various student organisations, including the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Jatiya Nagarik Committee, Bangladesh Chhatra Union, and Biplabi Chhatra Moitree joined the protests.
WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED?
Students present during the incident said workers began repainting the graffiti at 3:00am, partially covering Hasina's image and repainting a nearby mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Confronted by students, the workers claimed they were hired by the metro rail authority with DU's permission.
Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed, who arrived at the scene, initially said the directive came from an intelligence official. He later apologised, saying the remark was made under pressure.
The repainting has sparked strong reactions on social media, with student leader Umama Fatema calling the administration's actions "nonsense" and "silly."
Plans are now underway to restore the graffiti and preserve it as a monument to the public's resistance against authoritarianism, said authorities and students.
Saif
Senior Member
- Messages
- 17,612
- Likes
- 8,463
- Nation
- Residence
- Axis Group
Students protest at removal of Hasina’s portrait from ‘pillar of hatred’ at DU
A group of students under the banner of Students Against Fascism on Sunday evening staged a protest march, demanding the proctor’s resignation in the incident of removing the portrait of deposed prime minister...
www.newagebd.net
Students protest at removal of Hasina’s portrait from ‘pillar of hatred’ at DU
DU Correspondent 30 December, 2024, 01:01
Students under the banner of Students Against Fascism bring out a procession, demanding the proctor’s resignation in the incident of removing the portrait of the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina from the ‘pillar of hatred’, on the DU campus on Sunday. | New Age photo
A group of students under the banner of Students Against Fascism on Sunday evening staged a protest march, demanding the proctor’s resignation in the incident of removing the portrait of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina from the ‘pillar of hatred’.
The portrait on a metro rail pillar near the university’s Teacher-Student Centre stood as a ‘symbol of hatred’ among the students.
In the evening, students marching from the TSC area paraded the campus roads and then staged a sit-in in front of the administration building. They held placards bearing images of the ‘pillar of hatred’ featuring Hasina during the protest.
They chanted slogans demanding the proctor’s resignation. ‘No room for dictatorship on the DU campus,’ they also chanted.
One of the protesters, mass communication and journalism student Nourin Sultana Toma, criticised the proctor, saying, ‘Yesterday, the proctor claimed the removal was prompted by the National Security Intelligence, but today he changed his statement, citing fear of the mob.’
‘Can an administration that operates out of fear of the mob be deemed capable of governance?’ she asked, adding, ‘This proctor lost his legitimacy to hold office the day a murder occurred on this campus.’
Motiar Rahman, a student of the philosophy department, questioned, ‘Why is an autonomous institution like this still operating under the directives of the NSI, even in Hasina’s absence?’
Jahidul Islam, a law department student, alleged, ‘The attempt to erase Hasina’s portrait from the hatred pillar involves the state’s intelligence agencies and the university administration as well. After such actions, the proctor can no longer be part of the movement to create an anti-fascist campus.’
Interim government chief adviser’s deputy press secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, while speaking to journalists at a press briefing in front of State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka city on Sunday, termed the removal of the image as ‘a misunderstanding’.
‘Dhaka University authorities informed us that they would recreate the graffiti,’ he said, adding, ‘the university authorities would also preserve the July mass uprising related graffiti and other memorials.’
Eyewitnesses said that around 2:00am on Sunday night, several individuals attempted to erase Hasina’s image from a metro rail pillar, but students intervened. They later learned that the activity was being carried out with the proctor’s permission.
By the time they intervened, the full image of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on one pillar and the facial portion of Hasina’s image on another were erased.
The students then stopped the worker and drew a satirical depiction of Hasina on the same pillar.
In light of the overall situation, the university’s administration on Sunday issued urgent directives to properly preserve the wall writings and graffiti from the July student-mass uprising on the campus, said a press release.
The press release mentioned that the wall writings and graffiti must not be erased or damaged in any way. Legal action would be taken if administrative orders regarding the preservation of the July uprising’s memories were violated.
The press notification further noted that if, for any reason, the wall writings and graffiti on the university campus were damaged, the university would take its own initiative to restore them.
Dhaka University proctorial office also issued an urgent notice expressing regret on the matter.
‘This incident was an unintentional mistake by the proctorial team, for which we sincerely apologise. We pledge to be more vigilant in the future regarding such matters,’ the notice read.
In proctorial team’s presence, students quickly redrew the erased graffiti on Saturday night. The university authorities would officially recognise this pillar as a ‘Pillar of Hatred’, the notice added.
DU Correspondent 30 December, 2024, 01:01
Students under the banner of Students Against Fascism bring out a procession, demanding the proctor’s resignation in the incident of removing the portrait of the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina from the ‘pillar of hatred’, on the DU campus on Sunday. | New Age photo
A group of students under the banner of Students Against Fascism on Sunday evening staged a protest march, demanding the proctor’s resignation in the incident of removing the portrait of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina from the ‘pillar of hatred’.
The portrait on a metro rail pillar near the university’s Teacher-Student Centre stood as a ‘symbol of hatred’ among the students.
In the evening, students marching from the TSC area paraded the campus roads and then staged a sit-in in front of the administration building. They held placards bearing images of the ‘pillar of hatred’ featuring Hasina during the protest.
They chanted slogans demanding the proctor’s resignation. ‘No room for dictatorship on the DU campus,’ they also chanted.
One of the protesters, mass communication and journalism student Nourin Sultana Toma, criticised the proctor, saying, ‘Yesterday, the proctor claimed the removal was prompted by the National Security Intelligence, but today he changed his statement, citing fear of the mob.’
‘Can an administration that operates out of fear of the mob be deemed capable of governance?’ she asked, adding, ‘This proctor lost his legitimacy to hold office the day a murder occurred on this campus.’
Motiar Rahman, a student of the philosophy department, questioned, ‘Why is an autonomous institution like this still operating under the directives of the NSI, even in Hasina’s absence?’
Jahidul Islam, a law department student, alleged, ‘The attempt to erase Hasina’s portrait from the hatred pillar involves the state’s intelligence agencies and the university administration as well. After such actions, the proctor can no longer be part of the movement to create an anti-fascist campus.’
Interim government chief adviser’s deputy press secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, while speaking to journalists at a press briefing in front of State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka city on Sunday, termed the removal of the image as ‘a misunderstanding’.
‘Dhaka University authorities informed us that they would recreate the graffiti,’ he said, adding, ‘the university authorities would also preserve the July mass uprising related graffiti and other memorials.’
Eyewitnesses said that around 2:00am on Sunday night, several individuals attempted to erase Hasina’s image from a metro rail pillar, but students intervened. They later learned that the activity was being carried out with the proctor’s permission.
By the time they intervened, the full image of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on one pillar and the facial portion of Hasina’s image on another were erased.
The students then stopped the worker and drew a satirical depiction of Hasina on the same pillar.
In light of the overall situation, the university’s administration on Sunday issued urgent directives to properly preserve the wall writings and graffiti from the July student-mass uprising on the campus, said a press release.
The press release mentioned that the wall writings and graffiti must not be erased or damaged in any way. Legal action would be taken if administrative orders regarding the preservation of the July uprising’s memories were violated.
The press notification further noted that if, for any reason, the wall writings and graffiti on the university campus were damaged, the university would take its own initiative to restore them.
Dhaka University proctorial office also issued an urgent notice expressing regret on the matter.
‘This incident was an unintentional mistake by the proctorial team, for which we sincerely apologise. We pledge to be more vigilant in the future regarding such matters,’ the notice read.
In proctorial team’s presence, students quickly redrew the erased graffiti on Saturday night. The university authorities would officially recognise this pillar as a ‘Pillar of Hatred’, the notice added.
- Messages
- 3,853
- Likes
- 2,049
