Former DU student tears down Jinnah portrait at DUCSU museum

A former Dhaka University student on Monday tore down a controversial portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah displayed at the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) museum. Abu Tayeb Habildar went to the museum around noon and tore the portrait after breaking its frame. The incident took place amid growing criticism over the display of Jinnah’s portrait at the DUCSU museum.

Habildar was a prominent and one of the oldest candidates for the post of vice-president in the recent DUCSU election. He was a student of the Urdu Department in the 2001-02 academic session. Before tearing down the portrait, Habildar said Jinnah’s role in the history of Bangladesh made his display at DUCSU unacceptable.

“Jinnah created the context for Bangladesh’s independence. At Curzon Hall, he told students that Urdu would be the state language of Pakistan and that Bengali would not be. Many students of Dhaka University protested and said, ‘Mr Jinnah, we do not accept this decision.’”

Habildar also referred to the Language Movement and the role of Principal Abul Kashem in its early stages.

“Principal Abul Kashem started the Language Movement on March 11, 1948, and a strike was observed under his leadership. Many students were arrested, more than 2,000. That Jinnah cannot have a place at DUCSU.”

The display of Jinnah’s portrait at the DUCSU museum has drawn criticism from several student groups and former students, with questions raised over its relevance to the history and heritage of the university.

Earlier on Monday, Dhaka University unit Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) gave the university administration a 24-hour ultimatum to remove the portrait from the museum. The group said it would announce programmes at the vice-chancellor’s office and the DUCSU museum if the portrait was not removed within the deadline.