A group of students from Dhaka University (DU) staged a protest demanding the resignation of the university's proctor, Saifuddin Ahmed, over an incident involving an attempt to erase graffiti of Sheikh Hasina on a metro rail pillar.
Alongside general students, activists from various student organizations participated in the protest under the banner of "Anti-Fascist Students."
The procession began at 6:30 pm from TSC, marched through VC Chattar and Hallpara, and concluded at the university's administrative building, with participants chanting slogans along the way.
They continued chanting slogans while staging a sit-in at the administrative building, after which individual protesters delivered speeches.
In a press release issued by the “Democratic Student Alliance,” the organization stated that the removal of the graffiti was perceived as an attempt to cover up the “Awami regime's wrongdoings,” accusing the university administration of following "political orders" instead of “acting autonomously.” The organization demanded accountability and an apology from the administration.
The Democratic Student Alliance comprises the Socialist Students Front, Revolutionary Student Unity, Bangladesh Student Union, and Democratic Student Council.
Muzammel Haque, organizing secretary of the Socialist Student Front, DU unit, stated that the antifascism "Pillar of Hatred" is not only the property of Dhaka University but of the entire nation.
"The Dhaka University administration must apologize to the nation for this vile act," he said.
"After committing such a disgraceful act, this individual has lost all moral right to serve as the proctor of Dhaka University," he added.
Nuzia Hasin Rasha, president of Revolutionary Student Unity, stated that the proctor gave an explanation on Sunday, claiming that the act of erasing the "Pillar of Hatred" was done on the instructions of the NSI.
"The university is an autonomous institution—does the NSI run it? Then what is the role of the administration? They should step down if they can't even do their own job," she added.
Muhammad Mustakim, a Chhatra Union activist, remarked that the university is "falling apart," yet there’s "no trace" of the Vice-Chancellor and "no sign" of the proctor. "But they claim the 'Pillar of Hatred' is 'satirical,' 'distasteful,' and that it 'tarnishes' the country’s image in the 'global media.'"
"The real damage to the country’s image happens when you erase these pictures. We cannot entrust the safety of our university to such a spineless administrator," stated Mustakim.
Nourin Sultana Toma, a journalism student from the 2020–21 session, questioned why an "autonomous institution" would erase the "Pillar of Hatred" based on the NSI’s instructions.
She said: "People all over Bangladesh 'own' this symbol. On August 5, the public expressed their anger by throwing their shoes' at it. If something 'satirical' is drawn on it today, it’s like trying to 'console' children."
Maeen Ahmed, general secretary of the Bangladesh Student Union, DU unit, remarked that students could "restore" the Pillar of Hatred to its "original state" if they wished, but it would never be the "same as before."
Jahidul Islam, the organizing secretary of DU Chhatra Moitree, expressed concerns about the proctor changing his statements several times and claiming that the incident happened "by mistake."
At the end of the speeches, Muhammad Mustakim, speaking on behalf of the protesting students, announced that at 10pm on Monday, the students would restore the portrait of the dictator Sheikh Hasina to its original form.
Earlier, around 2am on Saturday night, with the permission of the university proctor, Associate Professor Saifuddin Ahmed, metro workers erased parts of a defaced painting of Sheikh Hasina. The removal work was halted midway due to resistance from students.
The graffiti of Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was initially drawn by Chhatra League on two metro pillars near the Raju Sculpture. After the people's uprising on August 5, when Sheikh Hasina fled, the public expressed their anger by throwing shoes, using red paint to symbolize blood, and throwing bricks and brooms at the graffiti.
Over time, the graffiti became a symbol of the people's anger and hatred. After learning that the proctor had given permission to remove this symbol, students have been demanding his resignation.