Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangshad, Dhaka University unit, has strongly protested the arson attack on the home of artist and sculptor Manbendra Ghosh.
The incident took place late Tuesday night in Gorpara village of Manikganj Sadar Upazila, when miscreants set fire to Ghosh’s residence.
In response, Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangshad organized a protest rally on Wednesday afternoon inside the Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University.
The event was attended by the convener of the Dhaka University unit, Abdul Kader, along with other student leaders and activists.
Abdul Kader said: “When the face of fascism was being constructed at Charukala, it was attacked and set ablaze. Now, the same forces have targeted the home of artist Manbendra Ghosh. We express our strongest condemnation and protest against this cowardly attack.”
He further added: “We call on the interim government to ensure full compensation for the damages to Ghosh’s home. The safety and security of Manbendra Ghosh, all artists, and ordinary citizens must be guaranteed. Time and again, we have emphasized — we don’t want to replace Ravana, we want to change the system of Lanka. Even if Hasina has stepped down, her accomplices continue to sabotage. We urge the interim government to act and ensure public safety.”
Meanwhile, the incident has drawn strong criticism and condemnation from the Sada Dal, a BNP-leaning group of Dhaka University teachers.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, signed by Convener Professor Dr Morshed Hasan Khan, Joint Conveners Professor Dr Abdus Salam, and Professor Dr Md Abul Kalam Sarkar, the Sada Dal described the incident as “heinous and deeply condemnable.”
The statement noted that despite the destruction of anti-fascist and dove motifs by miscreants the previous day, the New Year procession of 1432 was carried out successfully due to the dedication of students and artists who reconstructed the installations.
However, the same group allegedly carried out an arson attack on Manbendra Ghosh’s home because he collaborated with students in motif construction.
Sada Dal also expressed concern over increasing threats received by procession participants from foreign phone numbers and the spread of derogatory comments on social media.
They called on the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Adviser to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs to urgently identify and bring the perpetrators to justice.
