Insta
Lady Justice Statue Outside Bangladesh’s Supreme Court Removed For Being ‘Anti-Islamic’
Swarajya Staff
May 26, 2017, 11:01 AM | Updated 11:01 AM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Statue of Lady Justice that stood outside the premises of Bangladesh’s Supreme Court in Dhaka was removed on Friday morning, Dhaka Tribune has reported. The statue, removed from its altar in the dead of night, represents a Bengali woman in sari and was installed outside the country’s apex court in December 2016.
Islamists in Bangladesh were not pleased with the installation of this statue, believing that it represents Greek goddess of justice, Themis. Radical outfits in the country, including the Hefazat-e-Islam, a madrasa-based outfit which aspires to have Shariah law enforced in Bangladesh, the Awami Olama League and the Islami Andolan Bangladesh, staged violent protest, calling the statue ‘anti-Islamic’.
Caving in to pressure from Islamists, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reportedly ordered Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha to either remove the statue or reinstall it at another place so that it cannot be seen from Dhaka’s Eidgah.
However, the removal could not go through without resistance. Hundreds of protesters, mostly students, gathered in front of the court's gate when the news of removal of the statue spread. Sculptor Mrinal Haque, who erected the statue, was also present outside the premises. He said he was under pressure to remove the statue, but did not name the people or authorities that had put pressure on him.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.