Statue Removal From Sc Premises

AL happy, allies not

The Awami League (AL) is happy with the removal of the statue of Lady Justice from the Supreme Court premises, but its alliance partners are not.
The differences became clear when The Independent correspondent contacted the AL and its alliance leaders over the phone yesterday. The AL leaders said the Supreme Court had taken the correct decision by removing the statue from its premises, as it was controversial. However, the alliance partners said the decision had hurt pro-Liberation and progressive forces. They see it as surrender to religious fundamentalist forces.    
The statue was taken down in the early hours of Friday, a month after Hefazat-e-Islam demanded its removal from the Supreme Court premises. At a meeting with top leaders of Hefazat at her official residence, Ganabhavan, on April 11, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had said she personally did not like the statue on the SC premises either.
When contacted, AL presidium member and Health Minister, Mohammad Nasim, said yesterday: “The SC authorities have taken the right decision by removing the statue of Lady Justice as there is controversy over it.”
Talking to reporters after emerging from a programme in

the city, Law Minister Anisul Haque welcomed the SC decision. He said it had shown respect to all religions, including Islam, by removing the statue of Greek Goddess Themis from the SC premises.   The AL organising secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan said those who had put up the statue on the premises of the country’s Apex court, had not taken a wise decision as they hurt the country’s Islamist groups, which was unfortunate.
 “I think good sense prevailed upon the SC authories and the statue was removed,” he said.
 Talking to this correspondent, Rashed Khan Menon, president of the Workers’ Party, an alliance partner of the AL, expressed his anger over removal of the statue of Lady Justice. It is nothing but a shameless surrender to fundamentalist forces, he said.
When contacted, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal’s factional chief, Sharif Nurul Ambia, said it is clear that removal of the statue was an outcome of compromise reached between the government and Hefazat-e-Islam. The message going out to Islamist groups was that the government was supporting their demands by removing the statue before Ramadan, he added.
Meanwhile, talking to the reporters in Narayanganj yesterday, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader categorically expressed his party’s satisfaction over the removal of the statue. He said there is no question about the statue of the Lady Justice but its location is a matter of concern as the country's main Eid jamaat (congregation) is held there.
“In this context, our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has raised a question about the location of the statue of the Lady Justice,” he added.
The AL general secretary also ruled out Hefajat-e Islam’s demand for removal of all the sculptures saying the sculptures upholding spirit of the Liberation War and heritage will not be taken down under any circumstances.
On Friday, Islamist groups thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while some eminent citizens criticised the decision to remove the statue.

 

Statue Removal From Sc Premises

AL happy, allies not

The Awami League (AL) is happy with the removal of the statue of Lady Justice from the Supreme Court premises, but its alliance partners are not. The differences became clear when The Independent correspondent contacted the AL and its alliance leaders over the phone yesterday. The AL leaders said the Supreme Court had taken the correct decision by removing the statue from its premises, as it was controversial. However, the alliance partners said the decision had hurt pro-Liberation and progressive forces. They see it as surrender to religious fundamentalist forces. The statue was taken down in the early hours of Friday, a month after Hefazat-e-Islam demanded its removal from the Supreme Court premises. At a meeting with top leaders of Hefazat at her official residence, Ganabhavan, on April 11, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had said she personally did not like the statue on the SC premises either. When contacted, AL presidium member and Health Minister, Mohammad Nasim, said yesterday: The SC authorities have taken the right decision by removing the statue of Lady Justice as there is controversy over it. Talking to reporters after emerging from a programme in the city, Law Minister Anisul Haque welcomed the SC decision. He said it had shown respect to all religions, including Islam, by removing the statue of Greek Goddess Themis from the SC premises. The AL organising secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan said those who had put up the statue on the premises of the countrys Apex court, had not taken a wise decision as they hurt the countrys Islamist groups, which was unfortunate. I think good sense prevailed upon the SC authories and the statue was removed, he said. Talking to this correspondent, Rashed Khan Menon, president of the Workers Party, an alliance partner of the AL, expressed his anger over removal of the statue of Lady Justice. It is nothing but a shameless surrender to fundamentalist forces, he said. When contacted, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dals factional chief, Sharif Nurul Ambia, said it is clear that removal of the statue was an outcome of compromise reached between the government and Hefazat-e-Islam. The message going out to Islamist groups was that the government was supporting their demands by removing the statue before Ramadan, he added. Meanwhile, talking to the reporters in Narayanganj yesterday, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader categorically expressed his partys satisfaction over the removal of the statue. He said there is no question about the statue of the Lady Justice but its location is a matter of concern as the countrys main Eid jamaat (congregation) is held there. In this context, our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has raised a question about the location of the statue of the Lady Justice, he added. The AL general secretary also ruled out Hefajat-e Islams demand for removal of all the sculptures saying the sculptures upholding spirit of the Liberation War and heritage will not be taken down under any circumstances. On Friday, Islamist groups thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while some eminent citizens criticised the decision to remove the statue.