Headmaster hangs Bangabandhu’s picture: My father is a heroic freedom fighter, I will not take down the picture

Although the picture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was removed from most government and educational institutions after the political change, the picture is still hanging on the wall of Sonargop Ramesh Chandra Government Primary School in Nesarabad, Pirojpur. Political tension has arisen over the hanging of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s picture in the school office. However, Shamima Yasmin, headmaster of Sonargop Ramesh Chandra Government Primary School, said in this regard, “My father Moinuddin Master is a heroic freedom fighter. I will not take down the picture. If someone removes it, it is their business. We hold Bangabandhu in our hearts and love him. We will never want him to be insulted.” Meanwhile, local BNP leaders have complained that although neutrality should be maintained in government office rooms, only a picture of a symbolic figure of a political party has been hung here, which expresses a biased attitude. Nesarabad Upazila BNP Joint Convener Md. Azaharul Islam Tutul said, ‘For 17 years, fascist Sheikh Hasina has been hanging pictures of Bangabandhu and Hasina in government and private educational institutions. Bangladesh has not preserved the existence of any other political party in the independence struggle. We oppose this.’ Md. Rezaul Kabir, an assistant teacher at Sonarghope Ramesh Chandra Government Primary School, said, ‘I am an assistant teacher of that school by virtue of my position. What can we do if the headmaster does not remove Bangabandhu’s picture? Still, the government teachers of our school have repeatedly asked us to remove the picture, but he did not listen. In this regard, Nesarabad Upazila Education Officer Md. Gias Uddin said that according to government instructions, it is mandatory to hang Bangabandhu’s picture in government offices and educational institutions. There is no notification to remove the picture. If anyone is dissatisfied with this, they can object through the appropriate administrative process. It is worth noting that after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, no pictures of Sheikh Hasina and Bangabandhu have been hung in any government or private institution in Nesarabad Upazila. Only the pictures have been seen hanging in the office room of Sonarghope Ramesh Chandra Government Primary School.