Dhaka: Dwelling Expelled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin has criticized the recent arson of the house of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder leader of Bangladesh. Expressing deep sorrow over the incident, Nasrin has called for a museum to be built on the ruins, emphasizing that the sacrifices and memories of Bangladesh’s freedom fighters must never be erased.
Nasrin Calls for Preservation of Mujib’s Legacy
Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Nasrin urged the Bangladeshi government to rebuild the historic Dhanmondi 32 residence, which was set ablaze during violent protests. She insisted that the memory of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman must not be forgotten, even if it means building a copy of the old house’.
A new, large, Dhanmondi 32 should be constructed anew at the site of Dhanmondi 32. The memory of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman should be preserved. A museum should be constructed, if necessary, by way of a replica, ” she wrote.
At the same time, she pointed out that “the history of Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation from Pakistan” has to be properly taught in schools and colleges in order that the young generation in the country will come to know how the nation fought for its autonomy.
Nasrin posted on X photos of the destruction and asked if the objective of the government was just to remove Sheikh Hasina from office or to just erase the history of the country on the ground.
Nasrin Criticizes Current Government Over 1971 Legacy
In a sharp critique, Nasrin accused the current administration, led by Muhammad Yunus, of failing to protect Bangladesh’s historical landmarks. She claimed that those who perpetrated the attack are the same thugs who cried out against the independence of Bangladesh in 1971.
“It is they who are assaulting Sheikh Mujib’s museum, those who never sought an independent Bangladesh, those who turned their back to secularism, those who wanted an Islamic state in 1971, and those who wanted to embrace, a militray state, like Pakistan,” she wrote.
She also specifically alleged that people whose ancestors belong to these groups are at present holding positions of authority and pushing for an agenda which undermines the secular nature of the country.
Those, and their descendants, are the ones setting everything on fire this morning strict Muslims, who hate infidels, who hate women,” etc. And they are the ones in power now. They are the Yunus government. ”
Concerns Over Erasing Bangladesh’s History
Nasrin cautioned that efforts to efface Sheikh Mujib’s work and reconstruct the past of Bangladesh are not a new phenomenon but been furthered under the leadership of the present government.
Thus, the law enforcement is silent, while they level the ground, erase the name of Sheikh Mujib from the annals of history, and erase the history of the Liberation War. This is not a new dream for them,” she wrote on X.
Her comments expressed areas of concern among historians and political theorists regarding the government’s control of historical discourse and curtailing of freedom of expression.
Calls for Reform in the Awami League
Besides criticizing the attack, Nasrin also criticized the former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, for her need to acknowledge past mistakes taken place in her term. She made a call for a change of the Awami League, Bangladesh’s incumbent party for the last 15 years.
Sheikh Hasina should be filled with remorse and apologize to the public. The mistakes she made in government should be remembered,” Nasrin stated.
She also asked for a reformed, reformed Awami League that is new, free from corruption and incompetence and headed by a leadership group that pursues policies based on progressivism, secularism and science.
It is an Awami League based on the removal of thieves, scoundrels and corrupt persons, by bringing in honest, daring, progressive, liberal, secular, non-communal, scientific, sincere, feminist and free-minded people,” she continued.
Political and Public Reactions
The arson attack has led to widespread protests in Bangladesh, with supporters of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman demanding justice and stronger protection for national heritage sites. Although the government has not officially addressed Nasrin’s views, political tensions remain high in the area of treating historical legacies and national security.
While the discussion about histories of Bangladesh’s past, present and future is getting more and more heated up, careful scrutiny is being paid to how the government encounters the damage to Dhanmondi 32 and whether any measure is planned to protect the memory of, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
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