A nationwide protest erupted on Saturday by the people from all walks of life, including judges, government officials and employees, against vandalism on the sculpture of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

As part of the protests, judges, law-enforcers, businessmen, officials and employees of all tiers of the republic on Saturday took to the streets. They raised their voices against the anti-sculpture activities as well as the conspiracy of the fundamentalist and anti-liberation forces. They also condemned the act of the recent vandalism of a sculpture of the Bangabandhu in Kushtia and demanded exemplary punishment of the miscreants.

It is widely known that vested quarters in collaboration with extremists, fundamentalists and anti-liberation forces are trying to destabilise the country. They are trying to tarnish the image of the nation, destroy its proud history, culture and heritage.

According to sources, government officials and employees on Saturday held various protest programmes in the capital city of Dhaka and at all the divisional, district and upazila headquarters from 10:00am.

Centrally the protest programme was held at the capital’s Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at Agargaon.  

The central programme was chaired by Ahmed Kaikaus, the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister while the entire protest programmes across the country were coordinated by the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association.

Senior Secretary of the Department of Local Government, Helaluddin Ahmed, also the president of Bangladesh Administrative Service Association, said, “The greatest Bengali of all time, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the Father of the Nation. It is recognised by the Constitution. No republican staffer will tolerate any indecent act dishonoring to Bangabandhu. We would resist it at all costs.”

Almost all the employees of the republic took to the streets at first in 1996 against the then government which was formed through the election on February 15. They came down to the streets terming the election and the government illegal. They had expressed their solidarity to the stage of the people formed in front of the National Press Club.

Besides, the government employees again took to the streets in 2013 expressing their solidarities to the ‘Gonojagaran Mancha formed at the capital’s Shahbagh demanding capital punishment to war criminal Quader Molla.

This time the employees of the republic further took to the streets against the evil attempt of the defeated forces, who are trying to create anarchy in the country through fundamentalism.

The ruling Bangladesh Awami League, its affiliated organizations, and various socio-cultural organizations, however, remained busy protesting against the moves by the fundamentalist forces since the beginning.  

But, the involvement of the employees of the republic will add a new dimension to the movement by the pro-liberation forces.

In the port city Chattogram, alongside the employees of the republic, many judges also took to the streets to protest the vandalism on the sculpture of the Bangabandhu.

Under the banner of Judicial Service Association, Chittagong District Committee, formed a human chain in front of Punak in Dampara of the city. About 100 judges of different ranks were present at the programme.

Later, the judges marched towards the District Shilpakala Academy on MM Ali Road. The judges also took part in the protest meeting along with other government officials.

Chattogram District and Sessions Judge Ismail Hossain said, "Today the nation is upset and protesting against the demolition of the sculpture of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."