Take Legal Action against Sculpture Vandalizers: HC

The High Court on Tuesday directed to take legal action following the constitution and law against those involved in defacing the sculpture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman or otherwise damaging any sculpture.

The HC also directed the Islamic Foundation and Islamic Khatib to spread awareness about monuments, statues, portraits and murals through the media.

The bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed on Sunday seeking the security of all the sculptures, including those of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Advocate Nahid Sultana Juthi stood for the writ petitioner and Attorney General AM Amin Uddin represented the state.

The writ was filed on Sunday seeking the security of sculptures, including those of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, across the country.

The writ sought a rule seeking necessary directives to prevent chaos centering Bangabandhu’s sculpture.

On Saturday, an under-construction sculpture of Bangabandhu was vandalized in Kushtia.

On November 13, Islami Andolan Bangladesh Nayeb-e-Ameer Faizul Karim and Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh Joint Secretary General Mamunul Haque opposed the setting up of the sculpture.

Earlier, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader made it clear that any attempt to destroy religious tolerance in the country would be dealt with strictly.

On February 25, the High Court directed the government to declare March 7 as the ‘National Historic Day’ and issue a gazette notification in this regard within a month.

The court also sought the progress report on the matter within a month.

It issued a directive for installing the murals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in all districts and Upazilas of the country within the ‘Mujib Borsho’.

On March 4, 2018, the HC issued another rule asking the government to explain as to why directives should not be given to set up a Bangabandhu’s speech-mode sculpture at the place where he had delivered the historic 7th March Speech in 1971.