NCP leaders demolish signboard erected by Dhirendranath Datta’s granddaughter

A dispute has resurfaced over the ownership and preservation of the historic home of language movement veteran and martyred Liberation War figure Dhirendranath Datta in Dharmasagarpar area of Cumilla city, after leaders and activists of the National Citizen Party (NCP) demolished a signboard installed in front of the property.

The incident took place on Friday (November 6) night. Arma Datta, Dhirendranath Datta’s granddaughter and a former lawmaker, expressed anger over the demolition.

Local sources said social and cultural organisations have long been demanding the renovation and preservation of the house, along with the establishment of a memorial museum there. However, no effective initiative has been taken in this regard. Recently, Arma Datta installed a signboard in front of the property claiming ownership of the land. She is the daughter of Dhirendranath Datta’s son, Sanjib Datta.

The signboard identified Arma Datta as the inherited owner of the land and included her father’s name, land plot number and mouza details. NCP leaders alleged that preparations were underway to sell the historic house and that parts of the old structure had already been removed. Against this backdrop, they decided to demolish the signboard as part of their efforts to protect the property.

Witnesses said NCP leaders and activists gathered in front of the house on Friday evening. They spoke about the historical significance of the property before demolishing the signboard. A video of the incident has also circulated on social media.

In a press statement signed by Masumul Bari Kawsar, member secretary of the NCP's Cumilla metropolitan unit, the party said Dhirendranath Datta’s house was an important landmark in the history of the Language Movement and the Liberation War and could not be treated as an ordinary property. The party called for its preservation through a state initiative and the establishment of a memorial museum instead of allowing it to be subject to private sale. It also said it would submit written applications to the government and relevant authorities.

NCP member secretary Masumul Bari Kawsar said the signboard had been removed solely to protect the historic property. He said they expected cooperation from both the government and Arma Datta, the property's heir. He also warned that any attempt to sell the land or construct a multi-storey building there would be resisted with the support of local residents.

Arma Datta, meanwhile, expressed dissatisfaction over the incident, saying the house was her ancestral property and that she was its legitimate owner by inheritance. Whether to preserve or sell the property was a personal decision that she had the right to make, she said. Describing the nighttime demolition of the signboard as unfortunate, she added that she would inform the administration about the incident.

Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali Model Police Station Touhidul Anwar said no one had filed a complaint over the demolition of the signboard so far. Police would conduct an investigation if a complaint was lodged, he added.

Dhirendranath Datta remains a prominent figure in the history of the subcontinent's Language Movement. On February 23, 1948, he demanded at a session of Pakistan's Constituent Assembly that Bangla be recognised as one of the assembly's languages alongside Urdu and English. His courageous stance played an important role in strengthening the subsequent movement to establish Bangla as a state language.

On the night of March 29, 1971, Pakistani troops picked him up along with his son, Dilip Kumar Datta, from their residence in Dharmasagarpar, Cumilla. Neither of them was ever heard from again. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Language Movement and the Liberation War, he was posthumously awarded the Independence Award in 1997.

Arma Datta served as a member of parliament on a reserved women’s seat in the 11th and 12th national parliaments.