Kolkata: While Bangladesh is still on the boil, the All India Minority Federation has demanded removal of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s bust from Baker Hostel in Kolkata. The demand has raised debates among the academics and intellectuals in Kolkata who have strongly criticized any attempt to move the bust.
The rooms number 23 and 24 of the 114-year-old Baker Hostel was home to Mujibur Rahman between 1942 and 1947 when he was a student of Maulana Azad College — formerly known as Islamia College.The rooms still have his bed, table, chair, almirah and books. A bust of Bangabandhu was installed in the corridor outside the two rooms.
The bust was installed in 2010 and unveiled by former foreign minister of Bangladesh Dipu Moni. Later, Bangladeshi sculptor Liton Pal Ronny sculpted a new bust and the old one was replaced in 2019.
The controversy started after the All India Minority Federation demanded removing the bust from a place close to a mosque. “This has been our demand for a long. There is a mosque nearby and people offer Namaz there. The bust is out of place in that particular area. However, we have not objected to Bangabandhu’s bust placed elsewhere in the city,” said Mohammad Qamruzzaman, general secretary of the federation.
The demand faced strong criticism from intellectuals. Filmmaker Goutam Ghose, who had earlier made a documentary titled ‘Mujib in Calcutta’, felt it is absolutely unnecessary to remove the bust. “Mujibur Rahman is considered the father of the nation in Bangladesh. The high commission took an initiative to create a corner there. It is part of history. This bust was featured in my documentary too,” Ghose said.
Tanveer Nasreen, head of the department (history) of Burdwan University, felt that Kolkata bears very rich heritage of three people who initially crafted Pakistan and later Bangladesh — Suhrawardy, Fazlul Haque and Mujibur Rahman. All of them had their careers in Kolkata. Kolkata has the pride in making these three leaders,” she said.
“Historically, the role Kolkata played in the making of Bengali Muslim mind was essentially secular, progressive and inclusive. There is no reason why Bangabandhu’s bust should be relocated from the Baker Hostel,” she added.
Meanwhile, police have enhanced security in the area in view of the situation in Bangladesh. The rooms are being closely guarded by a team of cops from Taltala police station. “We have instructions not to allow anybody to get close to the rooms or the bust,” said an officer.