[Reader-list] BANGLADESH: Islamists force removal of Baul Sculptures

[Naeem Mohaiemen]

Baul/Lalan Shah statues have been removed after Islamist protests.
Left activists are wearing gamcha in protest today. Once again,
bullying a spineless state works wonders for the jongi mollah squad.
Today I'm so angry, I can't give a **** about using sensitive words to
describe my opponents. Why can the Islamists threaten to topple the
state and everyone believes them and the left can't mount the same
threat (at all!) in Bangladesh?

angry angry angry
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Sculptures near ZIA removed after protests
Staff Correspondent

Daily Star
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=58970

The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) and Civil Aviation Authority
of Bangladesh (CAAB) were forced to remove five sculptures of Bauls
(folk singers) including Lalon Shah in front of the Zia International
Airport in the face of protests from an Islamist group.

Sculptor Mrinal Haque told reporters that almost 50 percent task of
the Tk 1crore project had been finished at a cost of around Tk 50
lakh.

Two of the five sculptures had been removed by yesterday evening while
the rest was to be removed by midnight, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the
Airport Police Station Sirajul Islam told the Daily Star.

He said the erection of the sculptures began about a month ago.

Earlier, Murti Protirodh Committee (Sculpture Prevention Committee)
led by Khatme Nabuat Chairman Mufti Nur Hossain Nurani gave an
ultimatum of 24 hours for removal of the sculptures.

Witnesses said around 2,000 people gathered in the area when the task
of removing the sculptures began at about 11:00am.

The OC quoting the committee leaders said they do not want any
sculptures in the airport area where the hajj camp is located.