Bangabandhu sculpture Demolition: 'No One Will Be Spared'

The sculpture will be completed. Many Muslim majority countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Iran and Turkey and even Pakistan have sculptures. They have no issue against this art form.

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said this on Monday at the secretariat.

Asked about possible action against those involved in sculpture demolition, Quader said: "No one will be let go if proper evidence is found against them. However, religion is a very sensitive issue in Bangladesh. We do not want to stoke religious sentiment by taking a sudden decision."

Asked about the filing of a case by non-political organization Muktijuddho Moncho over the demolition of the Bangabandhu sculpture, Quader said, "It does not matter who lodged it. Bangabandhu does not belong to a certain party."

Earlier, in the day, two cases were filed against three people including Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh chief Junaid Babunagari for their remark on the setting up of Bangabandhu's sculpture.

About the government's ties with Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, the minister said, "There are 14 lakh Qawmi madrasa students, and they have a distance with the mainstream education."

"As the demand for mainstreaming their education system was logical, we accepted it. But it does not mean that we made a deal. Since Hefazat is not a political party, there is no scope to make any political compromise with it."

The making of a sculpture of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the capital recently sparked a lot of controversies.

On Saturday, an under-construction sculpture of Bangabandhu was vandalised in Kushtia, triggering a countrywide reaction.

Police on Sunday arrested four people including two teachers of Kushtia Ibn Masud R Madrasha at Jugiya Paschimpara in connection with the incident.