Guwahati, 12th August: The statue at the 1971 Shaheed Memorial Complex in Bangladesh, commemorating Pakistan’s surrender and the end of the Bangladesh Liberation War, has been vandalized amid ongoing national protests. The statue, known as the “Instrument of Surrender,” symbolizes the historic moment of the signing of the surrender document by the Pakistan Army.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor condemned the vandalism on his X handle, attributing it to “anti-India vandals.” Tharoor expressed sadness over the incident and criticized the attacks on Indian cultural sites, temples, and Hindu homes in Bangladesh. He also acknowledged reports of Muslim civilians protecting minority homes and places of worship amidst the violence.
Tharoor urged Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, to take immediate action to restore law and order. He emphasized that while India stands with the people of Bangladesh, the current anarchic situation cannot be condoned.
The unrest, which began as protests over job quotas, has escalated into anti-government demonstrations resulting in over 400 deaths and the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5. Many Bangladeshis, particularly minorities, have faced attacks and displacement, leading to a buildup of refugees at the India-Bangladesh border.
Yunus has denounced the attacks on minorities as “heinous” and called for protection of all religious communities in Bangladesh, urging students to resist efforts by those seeking to undermine their progress.
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