Mamunul condemns vandalising of Bangabandhu sculpture, stands by earlier statement

Hefajat-e Islam Joint Secretary General and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Secretary General Mamunul Haque yesterday condemned the vandalism of an under-construction sculpture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Kushtia in the early hours of Saturday.

The Hefajat leader made the statement hours after he, along with Hefajat Amir Junayed Babunagari and Islami Andolan Bangladesh Senior Nayeb-e-Amir Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim, were sued for sedition with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Satyabrata Sikder.

In a live programme on his verified Facebook page in the evening, Mamunul said they never spoke against Bangabandhu.

Terming Bangabandhu the architect of the country and the great leader of the country's Liberation War, Mamunul said they all respect and honour Bangabandhu.

He said: "An unwanted situation arose following the damaging of Bangabandhu's sculpture in Kushtia, which is unexpected, unfortunate and condemnable. Many are trying to link me to the incident. I strongly say that I never told anyone to take the law in their own hands in any of my speeches. Nobody who is respectful of the law of the country can ever do this."

Mamunul said his stance against sculpture is because of religion and there is no politics behind it.

"Installing sculptures of the dead will never increase their honour, as many people and animals may leave them dirty and anti-social activities may increase centring the sculpture's venues," he added.

The Hefajat leader went on: "Therefore, installation of Bangabandhu's sculpture at different places will not increase his honour and respect, rather it may work otherwise."