The authorities of Dhaka University (DU) have erased images of individuals convicted of war crimes that were painted at Jagannath Hall on the occasion of Martyred Intellectuals Day, students alleged.

To commemorate the martyred intellectuals of the 1971 Liberation War, the Jagannath Hall Students’ Union organised a programme titled “Tuli’r Anchore Droho” (Defiance Through Brushstrokes) last night.

As part of the programme, students painted images of convicted war criminals Ghulam Azam, Matiur Rahman Nizami, and Abdul Quader Molla - all senior leaders of Jamaat e Islami in independent Bangladesh at the time of their convictions- on the road in front of the hall’s Rabindra Bhaban.

However, according to students and organisers, the images were erased on Sunday morning on the instructions of the university administration.

Speaking about the incident, Jagannath Hall Union Vice President Pallab Barman said that the programme was organised to remember the martyred intellectuals and to express students’ anger against the Razakars.

“But the administration erased the painted caricatures without informing us. We have not received any explanation so far,” he added.

Attempts to contact Jagannath Hall Provost Debashish Pal and DU Proctor Professor Saifuddin Ahmed for comments were unsuccessful, as they did not respond to phone calls.