University Teachers' Network protests history distortion at DUCSU museum

The University Teachers' Network, Dhaka University has expressed strong outrage, concern and protest over the removal of historical photographs and documents and the distortion of history in the name of unauthorised and irregular renovation at the DUCSU museum located at the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) building.

The protest was expressed through a press release on Tuesday, September 15.

The release stated that through media reports and on-site investigations, it was learned that many valuable and historical photographs previously hung on the museum walls had been removed, including a photograph of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of independent Bangladesh and the chief architect of the liberation struggle. At the same time, a photograph of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan's first Governor-General who oppressed the people of then East Pakistan, was installed there. A delegation of the University Teachers' Network visited the DUCSU museum and saw the authenticity of these changes.

The organisation said such activities at a historical and representative platform like DUCSU are highly concerning and that this incident gives rise to several serious issues.

It further stated that the DUCSU museum is a preserved asset of Dhaka University. For any change, modification or renovation of any preserved infrastructure or museum of the university, prior approval of the university administration and adherence to specific policies are mandatory. There is no scope for changing any museum according to the whims of student union leaders, or any specific political agenda or extremist religious viewpoint, ignoring the university's rules. The DUCSU museum is one of the most important sources of Bangladesh's history, and since it is extremely sensitive, greater caution is needed in this regard.

The University Teachers' Network said Muhammad Ali Jinnah is not a citizen of independent Bangladesh; rather, he directly attacked the Bengali nation's right to self-determination by declaring that 'Urdu, and only Urdu, shall be the sole state language of Pakistan' at the very beginning of the language movement in then East Bengal. Moreover, the Pakistani military never formally apologised for the barbaric genocide it carried out in East Pakistan in 1971. Giving a place to the photograph of a controversial ruler of such a state in the memorial of Dhaka University students' history and struggle, without using appropriate historical information, is extremely insulting to the Bengali nation.

The release further mentioned that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the chief architect behind the emergence of independent Bangladesh and every movement for national liberation. Like any political leadership, he is not above controversy. However, removing his photograph only to erase the importance of the history before Bangladesh's Liberation War, at a time when resentment against him is being projected as anger towards his daughter, the deposed Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina, is not only insensitive but a despicable and planned attempt to erase the main heroes from history.

At the same time, the joint genocide carried out by Pakistani forces and their local collaborators (Razakars and Al-Badr) on teachers, students and employees on the black night of March 25, 1971, and later on the Dhaka University campus, is the most painful chapter in the university's history. The organisation said university teachers and students cannot in any way accept the attempt to implement the political agenda of a specific extremist religious group opposed to the history of the Liberation War by removing related photographs or documents from the DUCSU museum.

The organisation further said the DUCSU museum is not the personal property of any particular party or group; it is a historical memorial of the entire nation. The University Teachers' Network expresses strong condemnation and protest against this naked attempt to distort history.

Demands of the University Teachers' Network

Immediate neutral investigation: It is learned that the Dhaka University administration has formed an investigation committee. Therefore, the entire incident of unauthorised changes and distortion of history at the museum must be investigated neutrally.

Accountability and punishment of those responsible: Those involved in the unauthorised distortion of history and removal of important memorials in violation of university rules must be identified and brought under specific administrative and legal punishment.

Restoration of removed memorials and publication of list: A complete and transparent list of everything removed from the DUCSU museum must be submitted to the university, and all removed historical photographs and memorials must be immediately restored to their previous places with respect.

The University Teachers' Network expressed hope that the Dhaka University administration would take necessary measures at the earliest to uphold the image of the DUCSU museum and historical truth.