The bust of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has been removed from the campus of Western Sydney University, with the decision implemented by the university authorities on 20 March.
The bust was originally installed on 20 February 2017 in front of the university’s International Maritime Governance Centre under the Faculty of Law. Its installation at a renowned Australian university, thousands of miles away from Bangladesh, was regarded as a historic event at the time.
However, opposition to the installation had existed from the beginning. Abdullah Yusuf, editor of the Sydney-based newspaper Suprabhat Sydney, had consistently objected to the presence of the bust. He told Prothom Alo, “Following the recent mass uprising in Bangladesh, we reached out to the university authorities again. They have confirmed to us that the bust has now been permanently removed.”
On the other hand, Sirajul Haque, President of the Australia Awami League and a former PhD student at the university, claimed, “It has only been relocated. The university authorities informed me via email.”
The removal of the bust has sparked mixed reactions among the Bangladeshi diaspora in Australia. While some see it as an injustice to Bangladesh’s history, others have welcomed the decision.
Western Sydney University has yet to issue an official statement on the matter. However, sources close to the institution, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that the removal was part of a campus restructuring initiative.