Stalls with necks tied to statues of 7 Birsreshthas in Tangail

A stall of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) fair has been set up at the Shaheed Smriti Municipal Park in Tangail with 'necks' tied to busts of the seven Birsreshthas of the great Liberation War. A picture of a rope tied to the necks of the sculptures went viral on Facebook, causing widespread condemnation and anger on Sunday night (May 3).

According to local sources, stalls were set up across the Shaheed Smriti Municipal Park for small entrepreneurs. Stalls were also set up in front of the statues of 7 Birsreshthas. State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku inaugurated the fair on April 24. A picture circulated on the last day of the fair shows that the rope of the stall built in front of the statue of Bir Shrestha has been tied around the neck of the statue.

After the picture was circulated, a storm of criticism erupted on social media. Mir Nasimul Islam, former general secretary of Tangail District Parliament in Udichir, wrote, "In the picture, see the rope of the fair stall tied around the neck of Bir Shrestha. Clothes are hanging from that rope. There is a pile of garbage next to it. This is not just mismanagement, it is an insult to history. We are tying the rope around the neck of those who gave their lives to free the country."

Shamsul Huda, former principal of Government MM Ali College and senior educationist, said, "It is not right to build a stall by hiding the statue of Bir Shrestha. The rope of the stall has been tied around the neck of the statue on top of it - this is condemnable. Those concerned need to be vigilant so that this does not happen in the future."

Many people have demanded punishment for those involved in this incident.

Shahnaz Begum, Assistant General Manager of BSCIC's Tangail district, said, "It is not known who or what did this nine days after the fair. The rope was removed as soon as the matter came to light."