DU students protest with Tagore's sculpture

Some students of Dhaka University today placed a sculpture of Rabindranath Tagore near the TSC area, protesting the "recent incidents of censorship and repression" in Bangladesh.

The sculpture depicted Tagore's mouth taped and holding a book that has been shut with a nail.

The sculpture is intended to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of speech and expression centring the recent controversy around the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela. It will remain in place for the entirety of February.

Some students of the Faculty of Fine Arts played a key role in the creation of the sculpture, assisted by students from other departments.

"We wanted to create something that would spark conversation and make people think about the current situation in our country. Bangla Academy has not allotted any stall for the publishing house Adarsha,' Shimul Kumbhkaar, president of a fraction of DU Chhatra Union.

"Rabindranath Tagore is a symbol of free thinking and creativity, and it's important to remember that these values are essential to our society," he added.

The students hoped that the sculpture will inspire others to take action and speak out against censorship and other forms of oppression.