Dhaka University removes 'protesting' Tagore sculpture

In the sculpture, which was installed by a group of students, Tagore's mouth was taped and he was shown carrying a nailed book of Gitanjali.

The sculpture was installed next to the anti-terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture in the Dhaka University campus.

The university administration, as per reports, has said the protesting sculpture was removed as it disrupted the aesthetic beauty.

Bangladesh Chhatra Union, the left-leaning students' union, has claimed responsibility for the installation of the sculpture of the renowned poet who has written the country's national anthem 'Amar Sonar Bangla'.

Shimul Kumbhakar, president of the DU unit of Bangladesh Students' Union, said as quoted by New Age Bangladesh, "The sculpture is no longer there... since Thursday morning.

"However, we came to know from some eyewitnesses that the sculpture of Rabindranath was removed by the university’s proctorial team early Thursday morning… But the proctor told us that he did not know anything about that."

DU proctor Professor AKM Golam Rabbani said as quoted by New Age Bangladesh, "Who installed it was beyond our knowledge. Why was the beauty of the university area ruined by placing an aesthetic sculpture near another sculpture without permission? Are they making fun of our poet Rabindranath Tagore?"

"I was receiving complaints from teachers and students that Rabindranath Tagore was being humiliated. For protests, students [earlier] did various things which the university authorities did also support. But it should not have been installed without permission of the university. So, we removed the sculpture early in the morning," he added.