A mural of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib at Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU) campus has been defaced with black ink, and images of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and a penguin have been drawn over it. The incident was carried out by a group of disgruntled students. After the act, the students wrote “Sorry” on the mural and questioned the university’s expenditure on such artworks.
Regarding the matter, Professor Dr. Moniruzzaman Bahadur, Director of the Planning, Development and Works Branch of the university, stated that no plans have been made yet for these installations. He added that the administration would discuss the matter with both the university staff and students before taking any further steps.
Sources indicate that the murals, which cost the university 7 million taka to create, have not yet been paid for by the administration to the contractor.
HSTU’s supervising engineer, Md. Tarikul Islam, stated that the current administration has not yet made any decisions about the murals. He further noted that whatever the administration instructs, they will follow.
The murals of Bangabandhu and Bangamata were initiated in June 2023 in front of Dr. MA Wazed Building. The designs, created by the Department of Architecture, featured intricate terracotta and ceramic work, depicting events like the Language Movement, Six-Point Movement, and March 7 speech. The mural construction was completed by July 2024. However, after the government’s ouster in August 2024, some students defaced the artwork, and the image of Bangamata was replaced with a penguin drawing. The area is now jokingly referred to by students as “Puki Chattar.”
