Quader: Permission will be needed to construct Bangabandhu statues

From now on, taking permission from the Bangabandhu Memorial Trust will be mandatory before constructing any statue or sculpture or mural of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader disclosed the development at a press briefing at the secretariat in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Obaidul, also the general secretary of ruling Awami League, said: “Many people construct sculpture of Bangabandhu across the country, but many of those are not proper.

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“In many cases, it is seen that the statues are not well designed or are based on faulty design. So, I’m requesting all to refrain from constructing the statues without permission from the Bangabandhu Memorial Trust.”

Regarding the ongoing tension centring the vandalization of a Bangabandhu statue in Kushtia and some Islamist leaders’ controversial remarks over the sculptures, Obaidul said a vested quarter was trying to create anarchy taking advantage of the situation.

“But the evil forces will be thwarted, for the greater interest of the people,” he added.

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The senior Awami League leader also said: “No communal force will be allowed to rise in the country.”

Noting that the attack on the sculpture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is an attack on Bangladeshi people who believed in the spirit of Liberation War, he said: “It’s a challenge to those who are against the Liberation War and its achievement. Those who are behind the crime and financing will be found out after investigation.”

There have been conspiracies against Bangabandhu and his family in the past and they are still going on, he said.

“Whether there is any foreign or local political conspiracy in the issue of sculpture, is being investigated,” said the minister.

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

“BNP has made its position clear by supporting the anti-liberation movement activities using extremism and religion. They’ve already proven it and the BNP is the patron of the anti-Liberation War elements,” he said.

Talking about BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s remark about the Election Commission, Obaidul said: “His statement is baseless and purposeful.”

Failing to revive the trust of the people, BNP is now blaming the Election Commission for its failure, he said.