Published: 01:26 AM, 15 September 2026
Photo Showing War Criminal Golam Azam Being Beaten Up With Shoes Pasted After Jinnah Portrait Torn Down
Golam Azam was beaten up with shoes by devotees in front of Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Dhaka city on 1 January 1981. -Collected
Activists of the Bangladesh Students' Federation on Monday pasted a historical photograph showing war criminal GolamAzam being beaten with shoes at the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) museum, staging a sharp protest against the recent display of portraits of Pakistan's founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The incident occurred around 3:00 PM when a contingent of students, led by ArkoBarua, Organizational Secretary of the Bangladesh Students' Federation's Dhaka University unit, put up the photograph on the museum wall. Speaking to journalists at the venue, ArkoBarua slammed the university administration and student representatives over the museum's curated displays. "DUCSU is not anyone's personal property, and no one will tolerate a selective or one-sided depiction of history," Barua said. "The public outrage and shoe-striking that GolamAzam faced in 1981 was a direct consequence of his actions during the 1971 Liberation War. We have merely preserved that piece of public history," he added.
The controversy erupted following the official reopening of the newly renovated DUCSU museum on Sunday. Controversy flared when visitors noticed that while prominent standalone imagery of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh MujiburRahman, had been excluded, three separate portraits of Muhammad Ali Jinnah had been added to the exhibits. The move sparked widespread outrage across the campus. Earlier on Monday afternoon, Abu TayyebHabildar, a Dhaka University student, publicly tore down the three portraits of Jinnah in protest. Shortly after, the Students' Federation group installed the shoe-striking photograph in the vacated space. Addressing the rationale behind the display, DUCSU's Liberation War and Democratic Affairs Secretary had previously claimed Jinnah's photos were installed simply on personal discretion. Rebutting the stance, Barua told reporters: "If Jinnah's picture can be displayed on a personal whim, we likewise felt compelled to display the image of the public expressing their hatred toward GolamAzam."
Historical Context The photograph installed by the protesters dates back to January 1, 1981, when former Jamaat-e-Islami chief GolamAzam was confronted and beaten with shoes by an enraged crowd while attending a funeral prayer at the BaitulMukarram National Mosque. The event remains a key historic symbol of popular resistance against anti-independence elements in post-war Bangladesh. During the 1971 Liberation War, GolamAzam played a central role in organizing paramilitary outfits-including the Peace Committee, Razakar, and Al-Badr forces-which actively assisted the Pakistani military in committing genocide, mass rapes, and systematic atrocities. He also lobbied extensively across Middle Eastern nations to oppose Bangladesh's sovereignty.
The Liberation War of 1971 remains one of the darkest and most significant chapters in Bangladesh's history. During the nine-month conflict, members and supporters of Jamaat-E-Islami and associated armed groups were accused of collaborating with the Pakistan Army and participating in serious atrocities against civilians and supporters of Bangladesh's independence.
Jamaat-e-Islami opposed the creation of an independent Bangladesh and supported the unity of Pakistan during the war. Several of its student and political activists became associated with auxiliary forces, including the Al-Badr and Al-Shams groups. These forces have been accused of assisting Pakistani troops in identifying and targeting pro-independence activists, intellectuals, and civilians.
Among the gravest allegations are killings, abductions, torture, rape, persecution and attacks on minority communities. The abduction and killing of Bengali intellectuals in December 1971 is particularly remembered as a deliberate attempt to weaken the intellectual foundation of the emerging nation. Jamaat-linked figures have been accused of playing an important role in organizing or facilitating these crimes.
Decades after independence, Bangladesh established the International Crimes Tribunal to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other offenses committed during the Liberation War. Several senior Jamaat leaders were tried and convicted by the tribunal. Some received death sentences, which were carried out after the completion of Bangladesh's judicial appeals process.
The trials generated intense debate, both inside Bangladesh and internationally, concerning due process and legal standards. Supporters regarded the proceedings as a long-awaited effort to achieve justice for victims, while critics raised concerns about aspects of the tribunal's procedures.
The legacy of 1971 continues to shape Bangladesh's national identity. Remembering the alleged crimes of collaborators, while recognizing the distinction between individual criminal responsibility and an entire political constituency remains important for understanding the country's struggle for independence and its continuing pursuit of justice.
In 2013, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) found GolamAzam guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced him to 90 years in prison. He passed away in custody at a hospital the following year while serving his sentence.
