Protests against the removal of the Baul sculptures from the airport intersection continued yesterday with rallies, seminars and discussion meetings organised under different platforms.
Cultural groups like the Sachetan Shilpi Samaj, and political parties such as Workers Party of Bangladesh (WPB), Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Democratic Left Alliance (DLA) held separate programmes to voice their protest against the removal of the sculptures.
Speakers at a discussion held at Muktijuddho Jadughor (Liberation War Museum) in the city yesterday called on people to remain united to resist the conspiracy against the country that is being instigated with the removal of the sculptures.
Speakers demanded the reinstallation of the sculptures at the venue. They said that a united movement should be launched comprising different organisations under one platform to protest the removal of the sculptures.
Dr Rangalal Sen presided over the session addressed by Sammilita Samajik Andolon president Ajoy Roy, Prof Syed Anwar Hossain and noted cultural personality Ramendu Majumder.
Speakers said the main objective of the liberation war had been to establish a secular society where the rights of all people would be protected. But anti-liberation forces are trying to ruin that sprit of freedom.
Meanwhile, Sachetan Shilpi Samaj -- a platform of cultural activists and painters -- yesterday brought out a procession to protest the removal of sculptures. They carried placards and sang patriotic songs while parading Dhaka University (DU) campus.
Workers Party of Bangladesh (WPB) formed a human chain in front of its office yesterday. The party leaders said communal forces were working against the cultural heritage of the country.
They demanded punishment of those who threatened to demolish the sculptures. Politburo member of the party Nurul Hasan, Anisur Rahman Mallik, central leaders Hajera Sultana, Mozammel Haque Tara, among others were present during the human chain formation.
Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) also formed a human chain in front of its office at around 4:00 pm protesting at the removal of Baul sculptures.
The CPB held a brief rally after the human chain was formed and called on the people to forge a movement against extremist forces.
The Democratic Left Alliance (DLA) yesterday formed a human chain in front of the National Museum at 4:00pm. They also held a protest rally.
The DLA demanded trial of all war criminals and a ban on religion-based politics in the country.
DLA coordinator advocate Abdus Salam, DLA leaders Abdullah Sarkar, Saiful Haque, Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Mosharefa Mishu and Junaed Saki, among others, addressed the rally.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal also held human chain programmes at different venues across the country.
Bangladesh Chhatra League (T-S) also held a human chain on DU campus demanding reinstallation of the Baul sculptures immediately.
The protests across the country began on October 16, a day after 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.