Put back Baul singers’ statues near ZIA

Cultural activists and eminent citizens yesterday demanded reinstallation of the sculptures of the Baul singers (folk singers) at the Zia International Airport intersection saying that an attack on the sculptures is an attack on our culture, Liberation War and the country.
The sculptures include a statue of the illustrious Baul, Lalon Shah.
They said there is a conspiracy against the country's Liberation War, culture and its secularist character and this is happening as the war criminals have not been punished.
They said this at a discussion organised by Ganosangeet Samannay Parishad to drum up support for a movement against war criminals, criminals, black money holders and communal forces, at the Central Shaheed Minar last evening.
Eminent educationist Prof Serajul Islam Choudhury said the attack on Lalon's sculpture is an attack on the creativity of the nation.
"The communal forces, the people who use religion for their politics and business, are trying to distract people from their struggle for economic freedom by doing such things," said Prof Choudhury.
"This conspiracy against the country and its culture is going on as we could not punish the war criminals," he said urging the people to unite and resist the conspiracy and realise the dream of the Liberation War.
Sammilito Sangskritik Jote General Secretary Golam Kuddus said the attack and threats of fundamentalist forces are part of a conspiracy to destroy Bengali culture.
He urged the government to start the trial of the war criminals based on the list of 11,000 war criminals who were arrested under the collaborators act.
Kuddus also urged political parties not to nominate war criminals and black money owners in the upcoming elections.
Ganosangeet Samannay Parishad President and eminent singer Fakir Alamgir presided over the discussion. The discussion was followed by a cultural programme.