A sculpture depicting scenes from Bangladesh’s Liberation War—a fighter celebrating with a raised weapon and another releasing a dove with one hand while holding a weapon in the other—has been sold to a scrap shop due to lack of buyers.
The artwork was created by Professor Amirul Momenin Joshi of the Department of Graphic Design, Crafts, and Art History at Rajshahi University. Despite his efforts to sell the 18-foot sculpture for public display, he could not find a suitable buyer. Left with no other option, he sold it for a mere 9,400 BDT (approximately $85), even though its production cost was around 60,000 BDT (about $540).
The buyer, Khokon, who runs a scrap shop named Khokon Iron Store in Binodpur Bazaar, Rajshahi, has placed the sculpture in front of his store instead of dismantling it immediately. “The sculpture is made of steel pipes, iron beams, and stainless steel mesh,” Khokon explained. He has priced it at 200,000 BDT (approximately $1,850) for resale. “If no one buys it, I’ll eventually break it down and sell the materials,” he added.
Professor Joshi expressed his disappointment, stating that he had spent a long time working on the sculpture in his studio in Meherchandi, hoping it would find a place to honor the Liberation War’s legacy. The lack of interest, however, forced him to part with it for a fraction of its value.
The incident highlights the struggles faced by artists in preserving and promoting cultural heritage and raises questions about the prioritization of art that commemorates the nation’s history.