Mujibur Rahman’s portrait removed from Muhammad Yunus’ office: Report

The portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s father, was taken down from President Muhammad Yunus’ office, India Today reported. The move is being seen as a “concession” to student leaders by the caretaker government.
On Sunday, Mahfuz Alam, the special assistant to the Chief Adviser Mohammed Yunus-led government, confirmed that Mujib’s portrait had been removed from the Darbar Hall in Bangabhaban, the official residence of the president, India Today report added.
Alam further said that it was a matter of “shame” that they “couldn’t remove Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s pictures from Bangabhaban after Hasina’s ouster.”
The development has sparked widespread anger and was condemned by several leaders including the opposition.
Calling it an ‘unacceptable act’, the country’s main opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former PM Khaleda Zia, condemned the removal of Mujib’s portrait.
Ever since violent student protests led to the ouster of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August, the legacy of her father has become a matter of resentment among Bangladeshis.
The move to remove Mujib’s portrait comes after the Yunus government cancelled the national holidays marking the Bangladesh founder’s birth and death anniversaries and redesigned the currency notes to remove his image.
Mujibur Rahman, revered as ‘Bangabandhu’, was the first president of Bangladesh after the nation was carved out of Pakistan in 1971. He along with several members of his family was assassinated in a military coup in 1975.
Chief Prosecutor of Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Md Tajul Islam has written to Inspector General of Police Md Moinul Islam, seeking action to issue a red notice through Interpol for ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her aides, a media report said on Tuesday.
The chief prosecutor sent the letter to the Inspector General of Police on Tuesday, Bangla language daily Prothom Alo reported, citing sources at the tribunal.