World · Bangladesh Bureau
Student groups clash over museum displays at DUCSU headquarters
A student political organization staged a protest at Dhaka University's central student union by displaying an image of a controversial historical figure being beaten, responding to photographs of Muhammad Ali Jinnah exhibited at the DUCSU museum.
LSN Bangladesh ·
The Chhatra Federation, a student political wing, hung an image depicting Ghulam Azam in a violent confrontation as part of a demonstration against the museum's current exhibition at the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) headquarters.
The protest centred on displeasure with the display of photographs featuring Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, whose presence at the museum sparked objections from the student group. The Chhatra Federation's counter-display was intended to draw attention to their opposition to what they viewed as controversial historical representations within the university's student spaces.
The incident reflects ongoing tensions over how historical and political figures are commemorated in institutional settings across Bangladeshi campuses. Such disputes periodically emerge as different student organizations advocate for representations aligned with their ideological perspectives.
The DUCSU museum, located at the heart of Dhaka University's student life, has previously hosted various exhibitions that sparked discussions about historical memory and national identity. Campus authorities did not immediately issue statements regarding the competing displays or whether any formal action would be taken concerning the protest.