No Tolerance for Desecrating Our Liberation War Heroes

We strongly condemn the despicable desecration of the sculpture honouring Bir Sreshtho Hamidur Rahman near Jhenaidah’s central bus terminal. The sight of a garland of shoes draped around the head of a national hero has rightly sparked fierce outrage among local residents and freedom fighters alike. While former freedom fighter commander Kamaluzzaman moved quickly to remove the shoes and file a General Diary, we must refuse to write this off as mere local mischief. It was a deliberate, vile insult to an eighteen year old boy who gave his life so that Bangladesh could exist, and treating such an act as routine vandalism forfeits our own self respect.

What makes this incident so painful is that it did not happen in a vacuum, as the monument had already suffered severe damage during the July Mass Uprising, leaving it broken and awaiting reconstruction. That perpetrators felt comfortable returning to inflict another calculated insult proves that earlier failures created a dangerous void of deterrence. When photographs spread across social media, they revealed far more than an insulted sculpture by exposing an alarming erosion of civic reverence for the founding spirit of our republic. If those who harbour hostility towards our national history face no real consequences, we invite the steady, dangerous unravelling of our collective memory.

This concerning reality naturally forces us to confront uncomfortable questions about state vigilance. How was a monument known to have been previously targeted left completely exposed, and how could local police remain entirely oblivious until journalists brought the matter to their attention? These are not harmless administrative slip ups, but rather point to a passive, bureaucratic indifference that leaves our most cherished symbols completely defenceless. Any serious investigation must therefore look beyond the immediate culprits to hold accountable those whose negligence permitted such an outrage in broad daylight.

The district administration’s decision during its emergency meeting to install CCTV cameras and commission a proper architectural reconstruction is certainly a necessary start. Yet electronic surveillance alone cannot substitute for uncompromising legal accountability. Police and intelligence agencies must aggressively pursue everyone involved in both the July vandalism and this latest act of desecration, ensuring they face the full, unyielding weight of the law. Concurrently, authorities nationwide must review security around all Liberation War monuments, establishing active monitoring to stop any future attempt before it reaches our streets.

After all, Bir Sreshtho Hamidur Rahman died in the mud at eighteen so that future generations of Bangladeshis could walk with their heads held high. The very least we owe him is to guard his memory with fierce, unwavering dedication, remembering that respecting our martyrs is not a passive sentiment reserved for official anniversaries, but the living commitment upon which our nation stands. We must now send an unmistakable signal across every corner of this country that there will be absolute, zero tolerance for anyone who dares to desecrate our heroes or treat their sacrifice with contempt.