Chhatra Dal, Chhatra Front push for trial of Dhaka University motif arson

This goes to show the failure to ensure proper security at a major event, says Chhatra Front

The Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Samajtantrik Chhatra Front have demanded the trial of the perpetrators of an arson attack on Pohela Boishakh parade motifs at Dhaka University’s Faculty of Fine Arts.

Leaders of the Dhaka University unit of both student organisations condemned the incident in separate statements on Saturday.

Chhatra Dal described the torching of the motifs as a “heinous act” and claimed it sent a “terrifying message” about the campus’s internal security.

“The banned criminal group Chhatra League, operating from outside the campus, is engaged in a conspiracy to destabilise the country through online and on-ground chaos and violation of laws,” the statement read.

Chhatra Front said the incident proved that despite the scale of the event, no proper security measures were in place.

“Traditionally, the Bengali New Year celebrations are organised each year under the supervision of a specific batch of Charukola, or Fine Arts, students, in collaboration with teachers and students,” it said.

“This time, we observed that the opinions of students and their representatives were ignored from the beginning.”

"The views of Charukola students, student representatives, and active student organisations were not considered even when changing the name of this historic royalty,” the group added.

“No democratic process was followed."

In protest of the arson attack, a human chain was formed outside the fine arts faculty.

Md Azharul Islam Sheikh, convenor of the Barshabaran Ananda Shobhajatra organising committee, was present there.

The fire in the early hours of Saturday destroyed two key motifs made for the traditional parade -- the symbolic "face of fascism" and the "dove of peace".

Police believe the fire was “deliberate”.

In a Facebook post, Cultural Affairs Advisor Mostofa Sarwar Farooki blamed the attack on what he described as “allies of Hasina”.

CCTV footage captured one suspect at the scene, but the person’s identity remains unknown.

Dhaka University has formed an investigation committee and filed a case with the Shahbagh Police Station.

The case named unidentified people with alleged links to the Awami League, its affiliated organisations, and the Chhatra League.