Dhaka University Students Tear Down Quaid-e-Azam’s Portrait

At Bangladesh’s Dhaka University, a dispute has arisen over the removal of a portrait of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah from a newly renovated museum. The photograph, part of a chronological display showing the university’s history, was defaced by a student. The Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU), led by Bangladesh Chhatra Shibir, introduced the display.

DUCSU leader SM Farhad condemned the removal, calling it a "mob attack" and asserting that the photographs were included as part of the university’s historical record. However, critics argued that the student union was attempting to alter the historical narrative by emphasizing Jinnah and diminishing the presence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founding leader.

The student who removed Jinnah’s portrait questioned his stance on the Bengali language and proposed that figures associated with Bangladesh’s language and independence movements should be given more recognition. This incident follows a broader reassessment of Bangladesh’s political history after the 2024 uprising, which ended Sheikh Hasina’s rule.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the revolution, remains a contentious figure, and his former residence and museum were targeted during the unrest. Mahafuzur Rahman, a 19-year-old student, argued that removing historical photographs was not the appropriate course of action, asserting that Jinnah remains an integral part of the nation’s history.