Removal from Greek goddess statue sparks protest in Dhaka

Leftist students’ bodies began staging demonstrations as the Supreme Court authorities took down the statue of the Greek Goddess of Justice Themis on the SC premises early today.

The leaders and activists gathered at Raju Memorial Sculpture on Dhaka University (DU) campus around 11:00am.

Meanwhile, Gonojagoron Mancha, a platform that demands maximum punishment for war criminals of 1971, and other organisations also announced to stage demonstrations at Shahbagh and SC premises protesting the removal of the statute.

Earlier, the statue was taken down from the SC premises early today amid protests. Labourers took the statue on a pickup van around 4:25am today.

Some five to seven workers around 11:30pm yesterday began hammering at the base of the statue while four to five other people, including Mrinal Haque, were overseeing the work.

Protesting the incident, some 100 youths, under the banner of Bikkhubdo Nagorik (aggrieved citizens), gathered near the SC premises and blocked the road around 2:00am. They were chanting slogans like - “Joy Bangla, why surrender to Hefajat?”

There was a pick-up parked nearby. Journalists were not allowed inside the premises.

Contacted, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said the chief justice (SK Sinha) had a meeting with the incumbent and former presidents and general secretaries of the Supreme Court Bar Association, including eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain. At the meeting, the chief justice sought their opinion about removing the statue.

“They opined that it should be removed to avert any untoward situation,” he told The Daily Star, adding that the statue might be relocated to a place near the Supreme Court Museum, which is also on the SC premises.

Source: thedailystar