Anti Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture
Anti Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture, also known as Shontrash Birodhi Raju Sharokh Bhaskarjya, is a sculpture on the University of Dhaka campus in Bangladesh. Created by Shaymol Chowdhury in 1997, it commemorates Moin Hossain Raju, a Dhaka University student and Bangladesh Students' Union activist who was killed during clashes on 13 March 1992. Raju studied in the Department of Soil, Water and Environment and was known for his political activism, humanitarian work, and interest in poetry and painting. The sculpture reflects the protest march formed by Raju and fellow students while they opposed campus violence.
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February 2015 © nasir khan saikat · CC BY-SA 2.0
Identification | |
| Title | Anti Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture |
| Alternative names | Anti-Terror Memorial Sculpture for Raju; Gedenkskulptur für Raju gegen Terrorismus; Shontrash Birodhi Raju Sharokh Bhaskarjya |
| Type | memorial sculpture |
Location and ownership | |
| Role | Focal point for student movements and protests at the University of Dhaka for over two decades |
| Associated movements | 2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement; 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement; July-August 2024 student-people's uprising |
| Installation approval | Installed with permission from University of Dhaka authorities |
| Location | University of Dhaka campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
Historical context | |
| Commemorated person's role | Student at the University of Dhaka, Department of Soil, Water and Environment; student-political leader |
| Commemorated person's affiliation | Bangladesh Students' Union |
| Commemorated person's death | Killed during a clash between Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal at Dhaka University on 13 March 1992; later died at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital |
| Political background | Participated in the anti-autocratic agitations of 1990 against the Ershad regime |
| Commemorated person | Moin Hossain Raju |
| Dedicated to | Moin Hossain Raju, a University of Dhaka student and activist of the Bangladesh Students' Union |
Creator | |
| Artist | Shaymol Chowdhury |
| Designer | Shaymol Chowdhury and Gopal Paul |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Initiated by | Raju's friends and fellow activists from the Bangladesh Students' Union |
| Financed by | Atauddin Khan, a former teacher of the University of Dhaka, and Lion Nazrul Islam Khan Badal |
| Construction location | Communist Party office |
| Construction start | Late 1995 |
| Construction duration | Over a year |
| Construction cost | Approximately 2 million taka |
| Work condition | Shaymol Chowdhury worked without payment due to his commitment to the cause and his affiliation with the Bangladesh Students' Union |
Physical characteristics | |
| Base | Standing on a broad pedestal |
| Posture / interaction | The figures hold hands or are linked arm-in-arm |
| Human figures represented | Six men and one woman |
| Composition | A group of seven figures |
Materials | |
| Material | Gray stone, possibly concrete |
Appearance | |
| Interpretation | The figures appear to rise up against a threat |
| Depicted action | A protest march with students linked arm-in-arm |
Iconography and meaning | |
| Purpose | To commemorate Raju and the anti-terrorism / anti-campus-terrorism protest he led |
| Historical event referenced | The 13 March 1992 campus violence and peaceful demonstration against what protesters termed 'campus terrorism' at Dhaka University |
| Inspiration for formation | The march formation led by Raju near the Teacher-Student Centre, later depicted in the sculpture |
| Modelled figures | Muneem Hossain Rana (representing Raju himself); Shahana Akhter Shilu; Saeed Hasan Tuhin; Abdullah Mahmud Khan; Tasfir Siddiq; Hasan Hafizur Rahman Sohel; Utpal Chandra Roy; Golam Kibria Roni |
| Abdullah Mahmud Khan note | He was standing beside Raju when he was shot |
History and restoration | |
| Annual commemorative date | 13 March |
| Condition history | Occasionally vandalized but consistently restored by students and activists |
| Inauguration date | 17 September 1997 |
| Date of erection | Late 1990s |
| Unveiling ceremony conducted by | Justice Habibur Rahman |
| Inaugurated by | Then-Vice Chancellor Abul Kalam Azad Chowdhury |
| Annual commemoration | Annual commemorative events are held at the sculpture on 13 March, with wreaths placed by leaders and activists from various student organizations to honor Raju's sacrifice |
Significance | |
| Historical significance | Used as a gathering site during student movements and for key programs during the July-August 2024 uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League government |
| Political significance | Associated with significant political changes in Bangladesh |
| Symbolism | Viewed by students and activists as a symbol of resistance against authoritarianism and violence in educational institutions |