A statue intended to honor the liberation of Bangladesh has been vandalized by “anti-India extremists,” according to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. Tharoor posted a photo of the damaged statue, which commemorates Pakistan’s surrender at the end of the 1971 war.
“Disturbing to see such images of the statue at the 1971 Shaheed Memorial Complex, Mujibnagar, destroyed by anti-India elements,” Tharoor tweeted on X (formerly Twitter). He also highlighted recent attacks on Indian cultural centers, temples, and Hindu homes, while noting that some Muslim civilians have bravely protected minority properties and places of worship.
The 1971 conflict not only led to Bangladesh’s independence but also inflicted a significant defeat on Pakistan. The statue depicted the moment when Pakistani Major-General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi signed the ‘Instrument of Surrender’ to Indian Army and Bangladesh’s Mukti Bahini. Niazi’s surrender, involving 93,000 troops, was the largest military capitulation since World War II.
In related developments, student-led protests in Bangladesh have led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and several other high-ranking officials. The unrest, which resulted in over 450 deaths during a month of violent demonstrations, forced Hasina out of office on August 5.
Hasina faces serious allegations including murder, forced disappearances, money laundering, and corruption, according to Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
The ongoing protests have particularly affected the Hindu community, which has been targeted in numerous attacks against homes, temples, and businesses. Hindus, being the largest minority in predominantly Muslim Bangladesh, have been a key support base for Hasina’s Awami League party.
Since the government’s fall, there have been over 205 reported attacks on minority communities across 52 districts.
Tharoor has called on the new interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to swiftly restore order. “The agenda of some protestors is evident. It is crucial for Muhammad Yunus and his interim administration to act quickly to reestablish law and order for the benefit of all Bangladeshis. India stands with the people of Bangladesh during this turbulent period, but such lawlessness cannot be tolerated,” Tharoor emphasized.
