‘Remain alert, to protect sculptures’

Against the backdrop of two sculptures being vandalised in Kushtia recently, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner (DMP) Shafiqul Islam yesterday asked field-level police personnel to remain alert to foil any attempt to damage sculptures in the city. 

He ordered deployment of plainclothes police members at all sculpture sites and bringing the areas under CCTV camera surveillance, if necessary.

Shafiqul was speaking at a monthly crime conference at Rajarbagh Police lines auditorium, where officers of different ranks participated.

"The commissioner told us the situation may take a serious turn in at district level if we cannot protect the city's sculptures. So, we are on high alert," said an officer who was present in the conference.

Mamunur Rashid, officer-in-charge of Shahbagh Police Station, said, "We increased our surveillance with mobile patrol teams and have taken other steps to ensure security for the sculptures in our jurisdiction."

Dhaka University, where there are many sculptures, falls under the station's jurisdiction area.

On Thursday, unidentified miscreants vandalised a statue of British revolutionary Bagha Jatin on Kaya College premises in Kushtia's Kumarkhali.

On December 5, an under-construction sculpture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was vandalised in the district town. The attacks came at a time when Awami League and several Islamist groups are at loggerheads over setting up sculptures.

At the conference, the DMP commissioner also urged personnel to perform duties with caution and maintain safety rules.