Floral tributes were paid on the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Kalaroa Upazila Parishad premises in Satkhira marking the martyrdom anniversary at around 12:30 AM on Friday (15 August) and later students and locals broke the portrait.
According to local sources, the garland was placed under the banner of the Upazila Awami League. However, in the afternoon, agitated students and residents dismantled the portrait. Footage circulating on social media shows Md. Rasel Hossain placing the garland in front of the portrait. While Rasel has been identified, the identities of the others involved remain unknown.
OC of Kalaroa Police Station Saiful Islam said, “Two individuals came late at night—one placed flowers, and the other filmed it on a mobile phone. However, no one could be detained.”
Meanwhile, Arafat Hossain, former convener of the Satkhira unit of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, alleged in a Facebook post that the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) obstructed the breaking of Bangabandhu’s portrait. “Bravo, UNO! Is DC Mostaq Ahmed fostering the Awami League?” he wrote sarcastically.
He further added, “How could the UNO keep the Mujib portrait and still run the office? Even after this July Revolution, how could he say—‘There’s no need to break it; we will build something else here.’”
UNO Md. Zahurul Islam was called for comments but his phone found switched off.
