Sculptures or monuments are not idols for worshipping
Friday, 5 December 2008
THERE was an action by militants in Dhaka as well, just a few days ago but those people didn't attack other human beings, just a sculpture work near the Balaka cinema hall. The object of their ire was a bunch of storks made in metal and plaster. Those people could do much damage but managed to knock off the plaster from the birds' legs.
When some of them were caught by the law enforcers after a bout of physical contest, they confessed their crime and said that they had done it to please their 'pir' (holy man) who had directed them to do it. Why? Because, lifelike sculptures were anti-Islamic, be they of human beings or animals. (Any imaginary being, like an extra-terrestrials may escape their wrath but don't expect it.).
No one asked them why they didn't try and attack say the Aparajeyo Bangla at the University or the gate of BDR headquarters at Pilkhana. One reason may be that the opposition there are going to be even less sympathetic than the police who caught them and they might end up at the hospital-or worse-if they tried anything at those places. Humour aside, this is the right time to get to the bottom of the matter.
We have to decide whether we shall tolerate these incidents or make those people understand that they cannot decide what the people of this country like. If we are going to have sculptures, then we are going to have them. If some madmen (they are nothing more than that) and their cohorts create chaos or damage property, they must be made to change their way of thinking. The authorities must make sure they understand that sculptures or monuments are not idols and no one worships them. Also they are not going to convince too many people of their piety if they behave in such irrational and destructive manner.
Manowar Hossain
Motijheel, Dhaka
When some of them were caught by the law enforcers after a bout of physical contest, they confessed their crime and said that they had done it to please their 'pir' (holy man) who had directed them to do it. Why? Because, lifelike sculptures were anti-Islamic, be they of human beings or animals. (Any imaginary being, like an extra-terrestrials may escape their wrath but don't expect it.).
No one asked them why they didn't try and attack say the Aparajeyo Bangla at the University or the gate of BDR headquarters at Pilkhana. One reason may be that the opposition there are going to be even less sympathetic than the police who caught them and they might end up at the hospital-or worse-if they tried anything at those places. Humour aside, this is the right time to get to the bottom of the matter.
We have to decide whether we shall tolerate these incidents or make those people understand that they cannot decide what the people of this country like. If we are going to have sculptures, then we are going to have them. If some madmen (they are nothing more than that) and their cohorts create chaos or damage property, they must be made to change their way of thinking. The authorities must make sure they understand that sculptures or monuments are not idols and no one worships them. Also they are not going to convince too many people of their piety if they behave in such irrational and destructive manner.
Manowar Hossain
Motijheel, Dhaka