Between work of art and object of worship
For Bangladesh to move ahead, we should be more accommodative
Islam does not permit idol worship. However, all sculptures are not idols meant for worship. There are carvings in various forms that are symbols of peace or justice, and there are those that are paean to the glorious history of our country and to our brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for our Liberation.
After all, the statue of Lady Justice was merely a symbol of justice, conveying the very underlying responsibility of those who pass through the portals of the Supreme Court building every day. It was, we feel, not an object of supplication, veneration or worship.
Thus, it is pertinent to ask what does one make of sculpturing as an art form that allows one the freedom to express oneself?
There has been also demand, following the removal of the said sculpture, that all sculptures in the country must be removed. There are a large number of sculptures all over the country which depict our glorious War of Independence, our valiant freedom fighters and commemorate our victory. All of these are places to commemorate history and show respect to our martyrs; far from being places of worship, they are the constant reminders of our pain as well as our glory.
Given the above, how are we to interpret the call for removal of these icons? It is appropriate to point out here that Pakistan had used "Islam" to suppress our rightful demands and aspirations. Will we be remiss in suggesting that doing away with symbols that memorialise the most glorious event of the nation's life will be an abnegation of what Bangladesh stands for and whatever we have achieved through our Liberation War?