RU students protest billboard featuring convicted war criminals

Students at Rajshahi University have expressed anger over a billboard featuring images of several individuals convicted in war crimes cases from the 1971 Liberation War. The billboard was put up by 'Novo Culture', an organisation led by RU Central Students' Union (Raksu) General Secretary Salahuddin Ammar. Several student organisations and individuals have demanded its removal and action against those responsible.

The billboard, titled 'Judicial Killing', was installed on Saturday. It features images of convicted war criminals including Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Delawar Hossain Sayeedi, Mir Kasem Ali, Motiur Rahman Nizami, Abdul Quader Molla and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, as well as BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury. The billboard also highlights issues such as the Shapla Chattar crackdown, the July movement, the logi-baitha rampage, India-Bangladesh relations, the quota movement and the Aynaghar (House of Mirrors) incident.

On Sunday afternoon, student leaders and activists from various organisations met with university Proctor Professor Mahbubur Rahman to demand the removal of the billboard.

Fuad Ratul, spokesperson of the Rajshahi University branch of the Democratic Students Alliance and convener of the Socialist Students' Front, said, "Whether it is Raksu or Novo Culture, we will not accept any kind of normalisation of Razakars on the Rajshahi University campus or anywhere in Bangladesh." He said the issue of war crimes is a fundamental national issue of Bangladesh, and there is no scope to use the 2024 movement or the anti-fascist stance against Sheikh Hasina as a cover for rehabilitating war criminal ideologies.

Mahmudul Hasan Mithu, organisational secretary of the university's Chhatra Dal unit, said it was unfortunate that the university platform was being used for party agendas and propaganda. He added that there was no justification for linking past political issues with the July-August mass uprising.

Mehedi Hasan Maruf, president of the university's Chhatra Adhikar Parishad unit, said displaying images of those convicted of war crimes at an institution like Rajshahi University was unacceptable. He called on the university administration to investigate and take necessary action.

Salahuddin Ammar said the individuals featured on the billboard were convicted by Bangladesh's courts. He said the main theme of the billboard was 'Judicial Killing'.

When contacted, university Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr Md Abdul Alim said they were not yet aware of the matter but were looking into it.

Those featured on the billboard were tried by the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. Among them, Abdul Quader Molla, Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahed, Mir Kasem Ali and Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury were executed. Delawar Hossain Sayeedi, who was serving a life sentence, died in 2023.

On July 27, Salahuddin Ammar and leaders of the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami were accused of assaulting three students inside the university's central library reading room. Following the incident, the two assaulted students were shown arrested in an anti-terrorism case and sent to jail. In response, the University Teachers' Network submitted a written statement to the Vice-Chancellor, accusing Ammar and Jamaat leaders of "activities beyond their jurisdiction and criminal acts."