The Proctor's Office of Dhaka University has described the painting over of a graffiti depicting former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on a metro rail pillar near the Raju Sculpture as an "unintentional mistake."
The incident sparked widespread backlash on social media, prompting the university to issue a public apology.
In a statement released on Sunday afternoon, the Proctor's Office also announced plans to officially declare the metro rail pillar as a “pillar of hatred.”
The controversy began late last night, when attempts were made to paint over graffiti images of Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, painted on two metro rail pillars near the campus landmark. The graffiti of Sheikh Hasina had been defaced earlier during the July-August uprising.
The incident unfolded at around 2 am Sunday when workers from the metro rail project, reportedly acting with permission from University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed, began painting over the Sheikh Hasina image.
Eyewitnesses reported that students intervened to stop the workers.
During the process, the graffiti depicting Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and part of the Sheikh Hasina image were painted over.
In response, students staged a protest on campus.
The Proctor’s Office emphasized that the incident was unintended and reiterated its commitment to addressing the concerns of the students.