The removal of murals depicting Bangladesh’s four national leaders from a liberation war monument in Habiganj has triggered sharp political backlash, prompting former State Minister for Home Affairs Tanjim Ahmed Sohuel Taj to publicly question the administration’s commitment to the ideals of the 1971 liberation war.
The controversy centres on the Freedom Fighter Square at Jagadishpur near the historic Teliapara War Memorial in Madhabpur upazila. The site, constructed with government patronage, originally featured prominent murals of the four national leaders: Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain M. Mansur Ali, and A. H. M. Kamaruzzaman. Local freedom fighters reported that these portraits were abruptly taken down roughly a month ago on the orders of the then Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Jahid Bin Kasem, who reportedly deemed the displays irrelevant.
The issue resurfaced in mainstream and social media after local veterans voiced intense displeasure over the arbitrary removal. Late Friday night, Sohuel Taj—son of Bangladesh’s first prime minister and national leader Tajuddin Ahmed—shared a news report regarding the incident on his social media profile, demanding clear accountability from the authorities.
He challenged the administration to clarify its official position on the matter, asking whether the current government endorses such actions and whether it genuinely respects and upholds the legacy and ideals of the liberation war. His public statement has intensified local grievances and drawn widespread political attention across the region.
Local veterans claim that the decision to strip the monument of the historical portraits was executed without any prior consultation with freedom fighters or community stakeholders. Freedom fighter Abdus Shahid condemned the secretive manner of the removal, calling for a thorough administrative investigation and accountability for those involved. Leaders of the Freedom Fighters’ Children Command echoed these sentiments, arguing that erasing figures foundational to the birth of the nation disrespects historical memory.
Former Madhabpur Press Club President Md Olid Mia also weighed in, asserting that individuals who spearheaded the nation’s independence deserve enduring public reverence. Local residents and veterans are now demanding transparency regarding the bureaucratic process that classified the historic portraits as irrelevant, urging authorities to restore the murals to their original place of honour.
Attempts to reach the current Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Mehedi Hasan, for comment regarding the administrative rationale behind the removal proved unsuccessful, as multiple phone calls went unanswered.
