World · Bangladesh Bureau
DUCSU museum controversy as Bangabandhu portrait replaced by Jinnah image
A portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah has replaced an image of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Dhaka University Central Students' Union museum, triggering sharp criticism from student leaders and observers. The change has raised questions about curatorial decisions at the university's heritage institution.
LSN Bangladesh ·
The substitution of the founding father's photograph with that of Pakistan's founder at the DUCSU museum has sparked renewed debate over institutional identity and historical memory at Dhaka University. The move comes amid heightened sensitivities surrounding national commemorations and the preservation of Bangladesh's independence struggle legacy.
Student representatives have expressed dismay at the decision, describing it as inconsistent with the museum's mission to document the democratic and nationalist movements that shaped the university's character. The DUCSU, long regarded as a bastion of student activism and progressive thought, has traditionally featured imagery celebrating Bangladesh's liberation war and its principal architect.
University authorities have not yet issued a comprehensive public statement explaining the rationale behind the curatorial change. The controversy underscores persistent tensions within academic institutions regarding how historical narratives are presented and which figures are prioritized in spaces of institutional memory.
The incident reflects broader discussions ongoing in Bangladesh's educational sector about balancing multiple historical perspectives while maintaining fidelity to the nation's founding principles and the sacrifices made during the 1971 independence war.