A fire has destroyed two motifs created by the Fine Arts Faculty of Dhaka University ahead of the upcoming Pahela Baishakh celebrations. The motifs, which symbolised the "Face of Fascism" and the "Dove of Peace," were part of this year's Pahela Baishakh theme, "Unity of Noboborsha, End of Fascism."
The "Face of Fascism" motif, a 20-foot-long structure made of bamboo and cane, was completely burnt, while the "Dove of Peace" motif was partially damaged. The fascism motif featured a woman’s face with exaggerated features, including large teeth, a wide-open mouth, and horns, symbolizing tyranny and fear.
Dhaka University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed stated, “We believe the fire occurred between 4:45 am and 5:00 am. The mobile team responsible for safeguarding the motifs had stepped away for Fajr prayers during this time, which is when the fire likely started.”
