Udichi protests Jinnah photo in DUCSU museum

Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi has protested the reported inclusion of a photograph of Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) museum, alleging that important elements of Bangladesh’s liberation history have been removed or sidelined during its renovation.

In a statement on Tuesday (September 15), Udichi acting president Habibul Alam and general secretary Jamshed Anwar Tapan expressed concern over what they described as the removal of historical documents and memorabilia related to the Language Movement, Education Movement, 1969 Mass Uprising and the 1971 Liberation War.

The organisation said changing or excluding significant historical records could go beyond routine renovation and risk presenting a distorted version of history.

Udichi highlighted Dhaka University and DUCSU’s role in the Bengali struggle for political and cultural rights, recalling their involvement in the Education Movement, the autonomy movement, the 1969 uprising and the Liberation War.

It also noted that Bangladesh’s flag was raised at the DUCSU building on March 2, 1971, while the university was among the sites targeted during the Pakistani military crackdown on March 25.

The organisation also questioned the reported display of Jinnah’s photograph, citing his 1948 opposition to demands for Bengali to be recognised as one of Pakistan’s state languages and his support for Urdu as the sole state language.

Udichi called for Jinnah’s photograph to be removed and for historical documents and memorabilia from the Language Movement through the Liberation War to be restored.

It also urged the inclusion of materials commemorating teachers, students and others who died during the country’s major democratic and liberation struggles.

The organisation further called for those responsible for any alleged distortion or suppression of history to be held accountable and urged university students, teachers, cultural activists and civil society members to speak out against such moves.