Dept chair removes PM Hasina’s portrait to protest ‘killings’

Professor Shamima Sultana, the Bangla department chairman at Jahangirnagar University, has removed the official portrait of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from her office, protesting the government’s handling of the quota reform movement and subsequent killings.

A photograph, which gained widespread attention on social media on Thursday, showed the chairman seated in her office, with the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman displayed on the wall behind her, while the customary portrait of the prime minister was removed.

While talking to Prothom Alo this evening, Professor Shamima Sultana confirmed that she had removed the prime minister’s portrait, saying that she does not want to keep the portrait of a prime minister whose hands are stained with the children's blood.

“The prime minister's armed goons brutally tortured students during their peaceful movement. People, from children to elders, have been killed, while female teachers and students have been assaulted. Still, she continues to lie repeatedly. Incidents of hellish attacks, killings, and assaults took place under her orders,” said the professor.

Expressing her grievances, Shamima Sultana further said, “She is the reason why nobody is safe in their homes at the moment. Her hands are stained with the blood of numerous students. The person who is responsible for the current threats to the contributions of Bangabandhu and freedom fighters, how can I keep her portrait in my office?”

“Students are like my children. I do not want to display the picture of a person whose hands are stained with the blood of my children," she declared.

Referring to public sentiment against the prime minister, the professor said, “I think she is no longer in the people’s hearts due to her actions. Hence, I have kept the portrait of Bangabandhu only and removed hers.”

In 2002, the government ordered the display of the prime minister’s portrait in the offices of ministers, various ministries, directorates, Bangladeshi embassies abroad, and all autonomous institutions.