Staff Correspondent

JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) has condemned the widespread vandalism, destruction, and desecration of cultural and historical monuments across Bangladesh following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, 2024.

JMBF urged the interim government and the international community to take decisive action to ensure that justice is served and that the national heritage is restored and protected for future generations.

“These horrific acts of vandalism, which targeted approximately 1,500 sculptures, murals, and monuments—including those dedicated to the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and other symbols of our liberation struggle—represent a direct assault on our cultural heritage, history, and national identity,” said the human rights organization registered in France.

JMBF, a human rights body, said they were deeply appalled by the destruction of iconic works such as the Venus statue in Mymensingh, the Themis statue at the Supreme Court, and the Duranto sculpture at the Shishu Academy, among many others.

These acts of violence have not only obliterated invaluable pieces of art and history but have also inflicted deep psychological wounds on the collective consciousness of the Bangladeshi people, it said on Wednesday.

Robert Simon, human rights activist and Chief Adviser of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), emphasized, "Cultural and historical monuments are the pillars of national identity. Their destruction is a crime not just against Bangladesh, but against humanity. The Interim Government must work together, under the guidance of UNESCO and other international bodies, to restore what has been lost and to safeguard Bangladeshi heritage for future generations."

Advocate Shahanur Islam, Bangladeshi human rights lawyer and Founder President of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), stated, "The destruction of cultural and historical heritage is an assault on the soul of the Bengali nation. We must hold the perpetrators accountable and restore the monuments that tell the story of our freedom and identity."

JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) urgently called on the interim government led by Prof. Mohammad Younus for a swift, impartial, and thorough investigation into these heinous acts of cultural vandalism.

JMBF demanded that those responsible for these crimes be brought to justice and given exemplary punishment through a credible and transparent investigation and trial process with cooperation from international bodies, particularly the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to oversee the investigation and prosecution of these crimes.

JMBF also called on the interim government of Bangladesh to immediately take steps to restore the destroyed monuments, sculptures, murals, and other cultural artefacts.