A hub of culture has turned into “a hub of criminals, a hub of hooligans” under the “inefficient” Muhammad Yunus government, Calcutta mayor Firhad Hakim said on Friday when asked about the fresh flare-up in neighbouring Bangladesh.

The state of affairs in the neighbouring country pains “all Bengalis” and the Centre should immediately intervene, Hakim said when asked about the razing of what used to be the home of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh.

“We should not comment on foreign affairs, but as Bengalis all of us have been pained. Bangladesh was a cultural hub for us. Now it is a hub of criminals, hub of hooligans,” Hakim said while commenting on the attack on Mujibur Rahman’s house in Dhaka.

“The inefficient (Muhammad) Yunus government is ruining Bangladesh. India should immediately interfere,” he added.

On Wednesday evening, a group of people launched a violent attack on Rahman’s residence at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka which housed the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum. Bangladeshi media reported that some attackers, mostly youths,
forcibly entered the premises and plundered it.

Large portions of the building, which had been set on fire earlier after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was razed, Bangladeshi media reported.

Images of bulldozers and giant cranes pulling down the structure have appeared in the mainstream media in Bangladesh.

India’s eastern neighbour has been in turmoil since a popular students’ movement forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country on August 5. She flew out of Dhaka and landed at the Hindon airbase near Delhi. Reports of attacks on Awami League leaders and minority communities, including their places of worship, have come out of the country.

An interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been in charge since.

Hakim harped on the role played by the Indian government during Bangladesh’s liberation war. “(Then) Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had opened the doors because of the torture in the neighbouring country. If India did not stand by them, the Pakistan army would have crushed and slaughtered them. India stood for humanity... It is sad to see their condition today.”

“Human rights are being violated... A Hindu does not have the right to live? An artiste does not have the right to live?” Hakim said on police detaining Bangladeshi actors.

When asked about the attack on Mujib’s house, Hakim said: “Can this be done? I saw a similar thing in Tripura. The BJP pulled down statues of Lenin. Here they are pulling down busts of (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman). Where would Bangladesh have been without him? Would you have been able to celebrate? If you do not like it, lock the museum. This has become a Taliban rule,” he added.

On August 15, 1975, Rahman and several of his family members were killed in this house during a coup d’état. After the incident, the country was ruled by army dictators for about 16 years. After coming to power, Hasina
had turned this home into a museum.

“The impact of this will be felt in West Bengal. This terrorism and destructive force is riding on a tiger’s back,” Hakim warned.