Sculpture fiasco: Jubo League, Chhatra League call countrywide protests

Bangladesh Awami Jubo League and Bangladesh Chhatra League will stage demonstrations across the country on Sunday protesting against the vandalism of an under construction sculpture of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Kushtia.

Jubo League, the youth front of the ruling Awami League, and Chhatra League, the student wing of the party, made the announcement on Saturday evening.

In a press release, the youth front said they will take position on the streets in all the districts, metropolitan cities, upazilas, and municipality areas throughout the day on Sunday.

At 3pm, they will bring out processions and hold rallies across the country concurrently, it said.

Also Read- Unfinished Bangabandhu sculpture vandalized in Kushtia

In another press statement, Chhatra League said they will bring out a procession on the Dhaka University campus and hold a rally around 11:30am demanding immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the culprits who damaged the sculpture of the Father of the Nation.

Besides, all the units of the student wing across the country have been asked to stage demonstrations in this regard.

In the early hours of Saturday, miscreants smashed the under construction sculpture of Bangabandhu at the five roads' intersection in Kushtia town. The face and hands of the sculpture were vandalized. 

The incident took place amid protests by various Islamist organizations across the country over the construction of Bangabandhu's sculpture.

Also Read- Mamunul, Faizul to face lawsuit over controversial Bangabandhu sculpture remarks

However, Awami League and other political parties along with socio-cultural organizations continued their protests against the anti-sculpture groups.

Muktijuddho Mancha, the pro-Liberation War platform, on Saturday decided to file a sedition case against Mamunul Haque, joint secretary general of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, and Faizul Karim, nayeb-e-ameer of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, for opposing the installation of a sculpture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Recently, the Hefazat leader threatened to throw Bangabandhu's sculpture into the Buriganga. He was later backed by several other Islamist leaders, including Faizul, leading to an uproar across the country.