Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Mamunul Haque today called for the faces of sculptures displayed at the July Mass Uprising Memorial Museum to be erased.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the museum, Mamunul said the anti-statue movement had also been an important part of the struggle against fascism.

“Our clear position is that human statues that conflict with Muslim culture and values should not be placed at state establishments. From that standpoint, I suggest removing the faces from representations of the Shapla Chattar martyrs while preserving their memory and the events,” he said.

The Khelafat Majlis chief also expressed concern over the preservation and security of the museum, saying many important items and memorabilia were being displayed casually, with valuable objects within visitors’ reach.

Mamunul said several important chapters of the anti-fascist movement had not been properly documented. He criticised the museum for failing to adequately preserve accounts of the killings that followed the death sentence handed to Delawar Hossain Sayedee, the protests after BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s residence was blocked with sand-laden trucks, and the anti-Modi demonstrations.

He said memories of cross-border killings and the anti-Modi movement should be preserved in the same way as accounts of the atrocities committed by Pakistani forces in 1971.

Mamunul also expressed dismay that the killing of Felani Khatun had not been featured at the museum. Responding to a question, he said no image of fascist repression in Bangladesh was more powerful than the photograph of Felani’s body hanging from the border fence. That image, he said, had come to symbolise Bangladesh.

Calling for recognition based on contribution, Mamunul said it was inappropriate to discriminate among those who took part in the July Uprising and broader anti-fascist movements.