Leftists demand reinstatement of war veteran’s sculpture in Jhenaidah

The Ganatantrik Juktafront, a political alliance of left-leaning parties, staged a protest rally and procession in Jhenaidah on Monday, demanding the restoration of the sculpture of Bir Sreshtho Hamidur Rahman at its original location.

The leftist leaders also protested what they described as an attempt to vandalise and remove the monument.

Earlier, the alliance’s central and district leaders visited the sculpture site near the town’s bus terminal. They later met the deputy commissioner and demanded that the sculpture be repaired and reinstalled at the same location.

They also called for those responsible for the vandalism to be identified, brought to justice, and given exemplary punishment.

The protest rally, held in the afternoon at the sculpture premises, was chaired by Nehal Ahmed Sohel, Jhenaidah district coordinator of the Jatiya Ganofront. Among those who addressed the gathering were Bazlur Rashid Firoz, central coordinator of the Ganatantrik Juktafront and general secretary of the Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Basad); Dr Mushtuq Husain, member of the Standing Committee of Bangladesh Jasod; Ragib Ahsan Munna, presidium member of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB); Shahidul Enam Pallab, leader of the Biplobi Communist League; and Azizur Rahman Jalal, central leader of the Jatiya Ganofront.

Speakers at the rally alleged that anti-liberation, extremist, communal forces and vested interest groups were behind the vandalism of the sculpture. They claimed that such acts were aimed at erasing the spirit and symbols of Bangladesh's Liberation War and urged the authorities to take stern action against those responsible.

The speakers also rejected the argument that the sculpture should be removed on road safety grounds, describing it as unacceptable. They demanded that the monument be restored according to its original design and reinstalled at the same site.

They further urged the government to take effective measures to protect Liberation War memorials and sculptures across the country.

Among others, Hafizur Rahman, nephew of Bir Sreshtho Hamidur Rahman; Swapan Bagchi, president of the Jhenaidah district unit of the CPB; Abu Tawab Apu, CPB’s district general secretary; Advocate Asadul Islam, convener of the district Basad; Uday Shankar Biswas of the Jatiya Ganofront; and Sharmin Sultana, president of the Samajtantrik Chhatra Front in the district, also spoke at the programme.

Before the rally, a protest procession marched from Payra Chattar through Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy Road before concluding at the sculpture site near the bus terminal.